Continuing Resolution

Congress will take up a Continuing Resolution (CR) to fund the government the week of Sept. 19th, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) stated September 13th, which could prevent a government shutdown caused by Congress not passing appropriations bills by the new fiscal year

Depending on your perspective, a CR can be helpful or harmful. Basically a CR extends the same level of funding for Federal Agencies when an appropriations bill funding that agency has not been signed into law by the end of the federal fiscal year (September 30th). It continues the previous year's funding and doesn't adversely alter the funding for that agency.

But, if you want to apply for grant programs, or think adjustments are necessary in how certain agencies are funded then a CR isn't a good thing. For one, it delays implementation of the policy priorities you'd like to see funded differently. Secondly, it freezes agencies that haven't had a funding bill passed because they're not sure if their budget will go up or down. They tend to put off grant notices of funding availability and other program funding opportunities until they have more certainty about what their budget for the next fiscal year will look like.