| − | Legislation in the form of a [[joint resolution]] enacted by [[Congress]] after waiver of the Budget Act of 1974 by consensus for the new fiscal year, to provide [[spending authority]] for Federal agencies, programs and [[entitlements]] to continue. The regular [[appropriation|appropriations]] [[acts]] can then be circumvented or ignored.<ref>[http://www.senate.gov/reference/glossary_term/continuing_resolution.htm US Senate Reference]</ref> | + | Legislation in the form of a [[joint resolution]] enacted by [[Congress]] after waiver of the Budget Act of 1974 by consensus for the new fiscal year, to provide [[spending authority]] for Federal agencies, programs and [[entitlements]] to continue. The regular [[appropriation|appropriations]] [[acts]] can then be circumvented or ignored.<ref>[http://www.senate.gov/reference/glossary_term/continuing_resolution.htm US Senate Reference]</ref> |
| | + | Under the Budget Act, if the president does not sign an [[appropriations bill]] by midnight September 30, Congress then passes a Continuing Resolution to avoid a shutdown and keeps current spending levels going to states and localities and other recipients until agreement is reached and the president signs the bill.<ref>http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/policy/federal/Budgetbackgrounder.pdf</ref> In some cases, continuing resolutions have kept the government operating for years without agreement on a formal budget. |