Duration of Continuing Resolutions in
Recent Years
Jessica Tollestrup
Analyst on Congress and the Legislative Process
March 22, 2011
Congressional Research Service
7-5700
www.crs.gov
RL32614
CRS Report for Congress
P
repared for Members and Committees of Congress

Duration of Continuing Resolutions in Recent Years

Summary
Continuing appropriations acts, commonly known as continuing resolutions, which provide
interim funding in the event that regular appropriations have not been enacted, have been an
integral component of the annual appropriations process for decades. Whenever action on one or
more of the regular appropriations acts for a fiscal year is incomplete, one issue that arises is the
appropriate duration of any period for which continuing resolutions will be used.
Continuing resolutions may have a relatively short duration in the expectation that action on the
regular appropriations acts will be concluded within several days or weeks. Alternatively,
continuing resolutions may have a longer duration to postpone final action on appropriations
decisions until after elections or into the beginning of the next congressional session. Finally, a
continuing resolution may provide funding for the remainder of the fiscal year.
The duration of a continuing resolution refers to the period for which continuing appropriations
are made available for the use of agencies. (Legislative provisions, as opposed to funding
provisions, contained in a continuing resolution may remain in effect for a longer period, even as
permanent law.) The period ends either upon enactment of the applicable regular appropriations
act or on an expiration date specified in the continuing resolution, whichever occurs first.
Over the past half century, the timing patterns for congressional action on regular appropriations
acts have varied considerably, but tardy enactment has been a recurring problem. During the 59-
year period covering FY1952-FY2010, all of the regular appropriations acts were enacted on time
in only four instances (FY1977, FY1989, FY1995, and FY1997). No continuing resolutions were
enacted for three of these fiscal years, but continuing resolutions were enacted for FY1977 to
fund certain unauthorized programs whose funding had been dropped from the regular
appropriations acts. Further, no continuing resolutions were enacted for FY1953 even though all
but one of the regular appropriations were enacted late.
Full-year continuing resolutions provide funding for one or more of the regular appropriations
acts for the remainder of the fiscal year. While Congress has employed full-year continuing
resolutions on many occasions, it has not done so consistently over time. For each of the 11 fiscal
years covering FY1978-FY1988, Congress enacted a full-year continuing resolution. Three years
later, Congress enacted another full-year continuing resolution, for FY1992. Most recently, a full-
year continuing resolution was enacted for FY2007.
During the past 13 fiscal years (FY1998-FY2010), Congress provided funding under continuing
resolutions for an average each year of nearly four months (111.5 days). The period for which
continuing appropriations were provided in these 13 years ranged from 21 days to 365 days. On
average, each of the 79 continuing resolutions enacted during this period lasted for about 18 days.
Action on FY2011 appropriations is not yet complete. As of the date of this report, six continuing
resolutions have been utilized to provide stopgap budget authority in the absence of annual
appropriations. The data in this report will be updated to include all of the continuing resolutions
enacted for FY2011 once the annual appropriations process has been concluded. For detailed
information on the FY2011 continuing resolutions, see CRS Report RL30343, Continuing
Resolutions: Latest Action and Brief Overview of Recent Practices, by Sandy Streeter.

Congressional Research Service

Duration of Continuing Resolutions in Recent Years

Contents
Features of Continuing Resolutions ............................................................................................. 1
Persistent Need for Continuing Resolutions................................................................................. 3
Use of Full-Year Continuing Resolutions..................................................................................... 4
Recent Congressional Practices (FY1998-FY2010) ..................................................................... 6

Figures
Figure 1. Duration of Continuing Resolutions: FY1998-FY2010 ................................................. 9

Tables
Table 1. Full-Year Continuing Resolutions: FY1977-FY2010 ...................................................... 5
Table 2. Number and Duration of Continuing Resolutions: FY1998-FY2010............................... 7
Table 3. Number, Length, and Duration of Continuing Resolutions: FY1977-FY2010 ............... 10

Contacts
Author Contact Information ...................................................................................................... 18
Acknowledgments .................................................................................................................... 18

Congressional Research Service

Duration of Continuing Resolutions in Recent Years

ontinuing appropriations acts, commonly known as continuing resolutions, which provide
interim funding in the event that regular appropriations have not been enacted, have been
C an integral component of the annual appropriations process for decades. Whenever action
on one or more of the regular appropriations acts for a fiscal year is incomplete, one issue that
arises is the appropriate duration of any period for which continuing resolutions will be used.
Continuing resolutions may have a relatively short duration in the expectation that action on the
regular appropriations acts will be concluded within several days or weeks. Alternatively,
continuing resolutions may have a longer duration to postpone final action on appropriations
decisions until after elections or into the beginning of the next congressional session. Finally, a
continuing resolution may provide funding for the remainder of the fiscal year.
This report provides information on congressional practices with respect to the duration of
continuing resolutions, including the use of full-year measures, and focuses particularly on the
period covering FY1998-FY2010.
Action on FY2011 appropriations is not yet complete. As of the date of this report, six continuing
resolutions have been utilized to provide budget authority in the absence of full-year
appropriations.1 The data in this report will be updated to include all of the continuing resolutions
enacted for FY2011 once the annual appropriations process has been concluded. For more
information on the FY2011 continuing resolutions, see CRS Report RL30343, Continuing
Resolutions: Latest Action and Brief Overview of Recent Practices, by Sandy Streeter.
Features of Continuing Resolutions
The routine activities of most federal agencies are funded by means of annual appropriations
provided in one or more of the regular appropriations acts.2 When action on the regular
appropriations acts is delayed, Congress turns to one or more continuing appropriations acts to
provide stop-gap funding.3 In the absence of regular appropriations, the failure to enact
continuing appropriations in a timely manner results in a funding gap.4 Funding gaps usually
require that affected federal agencies shut down and furlough many of their employees.5

1 P.L. 111-242, which provided continuing appropriations from the start of the fiscal year through December 3, 2010,
was enacted on September 30, 2010. P.L. 111-290, which provided continuing appropriations through December 18,
2010, was enacted on December 4, 2010. P.L. 111-317, which provided continuing appropriations through December
21, 2010, was enacted on December 18, 2010. P.L. 111-322, which provided continuing appropriations through March
4, 2011, was enacted on December 22, 2010. P.L. 112-4, which provided continuing appropriations through March 18,
2011, was enacted on March 2, 2011. P.L. 112-6, which provides continuing appropriations through April 8, 2011, was
enacted on March 18, 2011.
2 The number of regular appropriations acts varied between 11 and 14 during the past half century, but was fixed at 13 for the
period covering FY1968-FY2005. Realignment of the House and Senate Appropriations subcommittees at the beginning of the
109th Congress reduced the number of regular appropriations acts, beginning with FY2006, to 11; further realignment at the
beginning of the 110th Congress changed the number to 12, beginning with FY2008.
3 For general information, see CRS Report RL30343, Continuing Resolutions: Latest Action and Brief Overview of
Recent Practices, by Sandy Streeter.
4 Additional information on this topic is provided in CRS Report RS20348, Federal Funding Gaps: A Brief Overview,
by Jessica Tollestrup.
5 Exceptions are made under law so that activities for certain authorized purposes, such as protecting property and the
safety of human life, may continue during a funding gap.
Congressional Research Service
1

Duration of Continuing Resolutions in Recent Years

Continuing appropriations acts commonly are referred to as continuing resolutions (or CRs)
because usually they provide continuing appropriations in the form of a joint resolution rather
than a bill. Occasionally, however, continuing appropriations are provided in bill form.
In most of the years in which continuing resolutions have been used, a series of two or more have
been enacted into law. Continuing resolutions may be designated by their order (e.g., first
continuing resolution, second continuing resolution, and so on) or, after the initial continuing
resolution has been enacted, designated merely as a further continuing resolution.
The duration of a continuing resolution refers to the period for which continuing appropriations
are made available for the use of agencies. (Legislative provisions, as opposed to funding
provisions, contained in a continuing resolution may remain in effect for a longer period, even as
permanent law.) The period ends either upon enactment of the applicable regular appropriations
act or on an expiration date specified in the continuing resolution, whichever occurs first. The
duration of a continuing resolution may vary for different agencies covered thereunder as an
agency’s regular appropriations act is enacted and its coverage under the continuing resolution
ceases. In addition, a continuing resolution may contain an expiration date for one or more
agencies or programs that differs from the one that applies generally to the covered agencies and
programs.
For example, Section 107 of P.L. 108-84 (117 Stat. 1043), the first continuing resolution for
FY2004 (which began on October 1, 2003), set the duration of the measure at 31 days:
Sec. 107. Unless otherwise provided for in this joint resolution or in the applicable
appropriations Act, appropriations and funds made available and authority granted pursuant
to this joint resolution shall be available until (a) enactment into law of an appropriation for
any project or activity provided for in this joint resolution, or (b) the enactment into law of
the applicable appropriations Act by both Houses without any provision for such project or
activity, or (c) October 31, 2003, whichever first occurs.
Oftentimes, subsequent continuing resolutions simply will replace the expiration date in the
preceding continuing resolution with a new one. For example, Section 1 of the second continuing
resolution for FY2004, P.L. 108-104 (117 Stat. 1200), stated that “Public Law 108-84 is amended
by striking the date specified in Section 107(c) and inserting ‘November 7, 2003’.” This action
extended the duration of the preceding continuing resolution by seven days.
Based upon their duration, continuing resolutions may be classified as either partial-year or full-
year measures. Partial-year continuing resolutions provide funding for periods usually measured
in days or weeks (but sometimes months), while full-year continuing resolutions provide funding
through September 30 of the next congressional session, the last day of the fiscal year.
By enacting a series of partial-year continuing resolutions, Congress secures increments of time
for itself to complete action on some or all of the remaining regular appropriations acts before
ending the congressional session. The duration of the continuing resolutions may be shortened,
sometimes to a single day, to keep pressure on legislators to conclude their business, or may be
lengthened to weeks to accommodate lengthy negotiations or congressional recesses. In some
cases, continuing resolutions have carried over into the next session when Congress wanted to
postpone making difficult political or policy decisions. Finally, when it does not seem likely that
one or more of the regular appropriations acts for a fiscal year will be enacted separately, a full-
year continuing resolution may be used to complete legislative action.
Congressional Research Service
2

Duration of Continuing Resolutions in Recent Years

Continuing resolutions usually fund activities under a formula-type approach that provides
spending at a restricted level, such as “at a rate for operations not exceeding the current rate” (i.e.,
generally equivalent to the total amount of appropriations provided for the prior fiscal year). The
amount of funding available for particular activities is often increased when the regular
appropriations act subsequently is enacted. Congress is not bound by these conventions in
determining funding levels, however, and there have been several variations in practice in
continuing resolutions over the years.
In addition, continuing resolutions generally do not allow new activities to be initiated. Instead,
funding usually is available only for activities conducted during the past year, and existing
conditions and limitations on program activity are retained via language contained within the
resolution’s text.
Persistent Need for Continuing Resolutions
Over the past half century, the timing patterns for congressional action on regular appropriations
acts have varied considerably, but tardy enactment has been a recurring problem. During the 59-
year period covering FY1952-FY2010, all of the regular appropriations acts were enacted on time
in only four instances (FY1977, FY1989, FY1995, and FY1997). No continuing resolutions were
enacted for three of these fiscal years, but continuing resolutions were enacted for FY1977 to
fund certain unauthorized programs whose funding had been dropped from the regular
appropriations acts. Further, no continuing resolutions were enacted for FY1953 even though all
but one of the regular appropriations were enacted late.6
In an effort to reduce the reliance on continuing resolutions, the Congressional Budget Act of
1974 lengthened the time available for Congress to act on annual appropriations measures by
moving the start of the fiscal year back three months, from July 1 to October 1.7 Procedures under
the act first were implemented fully for FY1977. During the preceding 25 fiscal years, covering
FY1952-FY1976, Congress did not once enact all of the regular appropriations acts on time. As a
result, one or more continuing resolutions were enacted each year during this period, except for
FY1953.8
The change made by the 1974 act in the start of the fiscal year yielded immediate results—all of
the regular appropriations acts for FY1977 were enacted on time. (Despite this achievement, two
continuing resolutions were enacted to fund certain unauthorized programs that had been
excluded from the regular appropriations acts.) The initial success was short-lived, and
congressional reliance on continuing resolutions has persisted in the ensuing years.
After FY1977, all of the regular appropriations acts were enacted on time in only three other
instances—for FY1989, FY1995, and FY1997. Consequently, one or more continuing resolutions

6 Section 1414 of P.L. 82-547 (66 Stat. 661) made regular appropriations enacted late available as of July 1, 1952 (the
first day of FY1953) and ratified any obligations incurred before their enactment.
7 Section 501 (88 Stat. 321) of P.L. 93-344; July 12, 1974. This section later was replaced by the Federal Credit Reform
Act of 1990, but the start of the fiscal year remains October 1 (see 31 U.S.C. 1102).
8 Although regular appropriations measures for FY1953 were enacted into law after the start of the fiscal year on July
1, 1952, no continuing appropriations were provided. Section 1414 of P.L. 82-547 (July 15, 1952), a supplemental
appropriations measure for FY1953, resolved the legalities arising from the tardy enactment of appropriations for that
year.
Congressional Research Service
3

Duration of Continuing Resolutions in Recent Years

were needed each year during this period, except for these three fiscal years (see Table 3, at the
end of the report).
In most years, more than one continuing resolution was needed as Congress worked to complete
action on the regular appropriations acts. In total, 148 continuing resolutions were enacted into
law during the period covering FY1977-FY2010, ranging from zero to 21 annually. On average,
about four continuing resolutions were enacted each year during this interval.
Use of Full-Year Continuing Resolutions
Full-year continuing resolutions provide funding for one or more of the regular appropriations
acts for the remainder of the fiscal year (i.e., through June 30 for FY1976 and prior years, and
through September 30 for FY1977 and subsequent years). They represent a determination by
Congress to abandon any further efforts to enact separately any unfinished regular appropriations
acts for the fiscal year, and to bring the annual appropriations process for that year to a close
(except for the later consideration of supplemental appropriations acts).
While Congress has employed full-year continuing resolutions on many occasions, it has not done
so consistently over time. Prior to the full implementation of the 1974 Congressional Budget Act
for FY1977, full-year continuing resolutions were used periodically. Full-year continuing
resolutions, for example, were enacted into law for four of the six preceding fiscal years
(FY1971, FY1973, FY1975, and FY1976).9
Following the successful completion of action on the regular appropriations acts for FY1977,
Congress returned to the use of full-year continuing resolutions for more than a decade. For each
of the 11 fiscal years following FY1977, covering FY1978-FY1988, Congress enacted a full-year
continuing resolution. Three years later, Congress enacted another full-year continuing resolution,
for FY1992. Most recently, a full-year continuing resolution was enacted for FY2007.
Full-year continuing resolutions may provide appropriations in different ways, including (1) by
formulaic provisions (e.g., “at a rate for operations not in excess of the current rate or the rate
provided in the budget estimate, whichever is lower”), in which the amounts available for
individual projects and activities must be determined by comparing two or more alternatives; (2)
by incorporating the full text of the applicable regular appropriations acts (including
incorporation by cross-reference to other measures), thereby obviating the need to make any
funding determinations; or (3) by a combination of the two.
From a functional perspective, full-year continuing resolutions that do not include any formulaic
provisions, but instead provide appropriations using the full text of acts (including by cross-
reference), may be regarded by some as omnibus appropriations acts rather than continuing
resolutions, even if they are entitled an act “making continuing appropriations” or “making
further continuing appropriations.”

9 The full-year continuing resolution for FY1976, P.L. 94-254, provided funding through the end of the fiscal year
(June 30, 1976) as well as through the end of a “transition quarter” (September 30, 1976) made necessary by the change
in the start of the fiscal year from July 1 to October 1.
Congressional Research Service
4

Duration of Continuing Resolutions in Recent Years

Table 1 identifies the 13 full-year continuing resolutions enacted for the period covering FY1977-
FY2010. Seven of the measures included at least one formulaic funding provision, while the
remaining six did not.
Nine of the 13 full-year continuing resolutions during this period were enacted in the first quarter
of the fiscal year—three in October, two in November, and four in December. The four remaining
measures, however, were enacted during the following session, between February 15 and June 5.
As Table 1 shows, full-year continuing resolutions enacted during the first five years of this
period were relatively short measures, ranging in length from one to four pages in the Statutes-at-
Large. Beginning with FY1983 and extending through FY1988, however, the measures became
much lengthier, ranging in length from 19 to 451 pages (averaging 244 pages).
The greater page length of full-year continuing resolutions enacted for the period covering
FY1983-FY1988 may be explained by two factors. First, full-year continuing resolutions enacted
prior to FY1983 generally established funding levels by a formulaic reference to pending regular
appropriations acts. With regard to a specific appropriations act, for example, funding levels may
have been keyed to the lesser of the amounts provided in the House-passed or Senate-passed
versions of the act. Beginning with FY1983, however, Congress largely abandoned the use of
formulaic references to establish funding levels. Instead, the full text of some or all of the covered
regular appropriations acts usually was incorporated into the full-year continuing resolution,
thereby increasing its length considerably.
Secondly, the number of regular appropriations acts covered by full-year continuing resolutions
increased significantly during the FY1983-FY1988 period. For the period covering FY1978-
FY1982, the number of regular appropriations acts covered by continuing resolutions for the full
fiscal year ranged from one to eight (averaging four). Beginning with FY1983 and extending
through FY1988, the number of covered acts ranged from five to 13 (averaging 9.25).
Table 1. Full-Year Continuing Resolutions: FY1977-FY2010
Page Length
Included
Number of
Fiscal Year
Public Law
Enactment
Formulaic
Appropriations
Number
Date
(Statutes-
at-Large)
Funding
Acts Covered
Provision(s)?
1977 [none] —
—
—
—
1978 P.L.
95-205
12-09-1977
2
No
2
1979 P.L.
95-482
10-18-1978
4
No
1
1980 P.L.
96-123
11-20-1979
4
Yes
5
1981 P.L.
97-12
06-05-1981 2a Yes 8a
1982 P.L.
97-161
03-31-1982
1
Yes
4b
1983 P.L.
97-377
12-21-1982 95
Yes
7
1984 P.L.
98-151
11-14-1983 19
Yes
5
1985 P.L.
98-473
10-12-1984 363
No
9
1986 P.L.
99-190
12-19-1985 142
No
8
1987 P.L.
99-591
10-30-1986 391
No
13
1988 P.L.
100-202
12-22-1987 451
No
13
Congressional Research Service
5

Duration of Continuing Resolutions in Recent Years

Included
Number of
Page Length
Fiscal Year
Public Law
Enactment
Formulaic
Appropriations
Number
Date
(Statutes-
at-Large)
Funding
Acts Covered
Provision(s)?
1989 [none] —
—
—
—
1990 [none] —
—
—
—
1991 [none] —
—
—
—
1992 P.L.
102-266
04-01-1992
8
Yes
10c
1993-2006 [none]
—
—
—
—
2007 P.L.
110-5
02-15-2007 53
Yes
9d
2008 [none] —
—
—
—
2009 [none] —
—
—
—
2010 [none] —
—
—
—
Source: Prepared by the Congressional Research Service.
a. This ful year continuing resolution was contained within the FY1981 Supplemental Appropriations and
Rescissions Act 1981 (H.R. 3512, see Title IV, “Further Continuing Appropriations”). Title IV extends
through the end of the fiscal year the expiration of P.L. 96-536, which included appropriations for the
Legislative Branch; Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related
Agencies; Agriculture, Rural Development and Related Agencies; District of Columbia; Department of
Housing and Urban Development-Independent Agencies; Department of Interior and Related Agencies;
Departments of State, Justice, and Commerce, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies; Department of Defense.
b. This ful year continuing resolution extended through the end of the fiscal year the expiration date of P.L.
97-92, which included appropriations for Treasury, Postal Service and General Government; Department of
Transportation and Related Agencies; Department of Housing and Urban Development Independent
Agencies; Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary.
c. This ful year continuing resolution extended through the end of FY1992 the expiration date of P.L. 102-
163, which included appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and
Related Agencies; Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary; Department of Defense;
Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs; Department of the Interior and Related
Agencies; Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies; Military
Construction; Department of Transportation and Related Agencies; Treasury, Postal Service, and General
Government; Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent
Agencies.
d. During the 109th Congress, the House and Senate appropriations subcommittee jurisdictions were not
entirely parallel. As a result, the forms in which the initial pieces of appropriations legislation were
considered differed between the chambers. Ultimately, spending authority provided in the full-year
continuing resolution was designated in Section 101 as nine appropriations Acts as fol ows: Agriculture,
Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies; Energy and Water Development;
Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs; Department of the Interior, Environment, and
Related Agencies; Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies;
Legislative Branch; Military Quality of Life and Veterans Affairs; Science, State, Justice, Commerce, and
Related Agencies; Transportation, Treasury, Housing and Urban Development, Judiciary, District of
Columbia, and Independent Agencies.
Recent Congressional Practices (FY1998-FY2010)
Continuing resolutions have been an important element of the annual appropriations process
during the last 13 fiscal years, covering FY1998-FY2010. (FY1997 was the most recent year for
which no continuing resolutions were needed.) As shown in Table 2, a total of 79 continuing
Congressional Research Service
6

Duration of Continuing Resolutions in Recent Years

resolutions were enacted into law during the period. While the average number of such measures
enacted per year was about six (6.1), the actual number enacted ranged from two measures (for
FY2009 and FY2010) to 21 (for FY2001).
Table 2. Number and Duration of Continuing Resolutions: FY1998-FY2010
Number of
Average
Final
Fiscal Year
Duration
Continuing
Duration for
Expiration
Resolutions
in Daysa
Each Act
Date
1998 6
57
9.5
11-26-1997
1999 6
21
3.5
10-21-1998
2000 7
63
9.0
12-02-1999
2001 21
82
3.9
12-21-2000
2002 8
102
12.8
01-10-2002
2003 8
143
17.9
02-20-2003
2004 5b 123
24.6
01-31-2004
2005 3
69
23.0
12-08-2004
2006 3
92
30.7
12-31-2005
2007 4
365
91.3
09-30-2007
2008 4
92
23.0
12-31-2007
2009
2
162
81.0
03-11-2009
2010
2
79
39.5
12-18-2009
Total
79
1,450
—
—
Annual Average
6.1
111.5
18.4
—
Source: Prepared by the Congressional Research Service.
a. Duration is measured, in the case of the initial continuing resolution for a fiscal year, from the first day of
the year (October 1). For subsequent continuing resolutions for a fiscal year, duration is measured from the
expiration date of the preceding continuing resolution.
b. The fifth continuing resolution for FY2004 did not change the expiration date of January 31, 2004,
established in the preceding continuing resolution.
During these last 13 years, Congress provided funding by such means for an average each year of
nearly four months (111.5 days). Taking into account all of the continuing resolutions enacted for
each year, the period for which continuing appropriations were provided ranged from 21 days to
365 days. On average, each of the 79 continuing resolutions enacted lasted for about 18 (18.4)
days.10 One full-year continuing resolution was used during this period, covering FY2007.
In the first four instances (FY1998-FY2001), the expiration date in the final continuing resolution
was set in the first quarter of the fiscal year, on a date occurring between October 21 and
December 21. The expiration date in the final continuing resolution for the next three fiscal years

10 The fifth continuing resolution enacted for FY2004, P.L. 108-185, did not change the expiration date of January 31,
2004, set in the preceding continuing resolution.
Congressional Research Service
7

Duration of Continuing Resolutions in Recent Years

(FY2002-FY2004), however, was set in the following session on a date occurring between
January 10 and February 20.
The expiration dates in the final continuing resolutions for three of the next four fiscal years
(FY2005, FY2006, and FY2008) were in the first quarter of the fiscal year on a date occurring
between December 8 and December 31. The final continuing resolution for FY2007 provided
funding through the remainder of the fiscal year, with an expiration date of September 30, 2007.
Finally, the first continuing resolution for FY2009 carried an expiration date of March 6, 2009,
which was extended for another five days by a second continuing resolution. Continuing
appropriations for FY2010 were provided through December 18, 2009.
Figure 1 presents a representation of both the number and duration of continuing resolutions for
FY1998-FY2010. As the figure shows, there is no significant correlation between these two
variables.
Six continuing resolutions were enacted for both FY1998 and FY1999, but the same number of
measures lasted for a period of 57 days for FY1998 and only 21 days for FY1999. The largest
number of continuing resolutions enacted for a single fiscal year during this period—21 for
FY2001—covered a period lasting 82 days, at an average duration of 3.9 days per act. The
smallest number enacted—two each for FY2009 and FY2010—covered 162 days and 79 days,
respectively, at an average duration of 81 days and 40 days per act.
Figure 1 also shows considerable mix in the use of shorter-term and longer-term continuing
resolutions for a single fiscal year. For FY2001, for example, 21 continuing resolutions covered
the first 82 days of the fiscal year. The first 25 days were covered by a series of four continuing
resolutions lasting between five and eight days each. The next 10 days, a period of intense
legislative negotiations leading up to the national elections on November 7, 2000, were covered
by a series of 10 one-day continuing resolutions.
The next 31 days were covered by only two continuing resolutions, the first lasting 10 days and
the second lasting 21 days. The first of these two continuing resolutions was enacted into law on
November 4, the Saturday before the election, and extended through November 14, the second
day of a lame-duck session. The second continuing resolution was enacted into law on November
15; it expired on December 5, 10 days before the lame-duck session ended.
The remaining five continuing resolutions, which ranged in duration from one to six days,
covered the remainder of the lame-duck session and several days beyond (as the final
appropriations legislation passed by Congress was processed for the President’s approval).
Table 3 provides more detailed information on the number, length, and duration of continuing
appropriations acts enacted for FY1977-FY2010. As indicated previously, this represents the
period during which the congressional budget process established by the 1974 Congressional
Budget Act has been in effect, including the change in the start of the fiscal year from July 1 to
October 1.
Congressional Research Service
8

Figure 1. Duration of Continuing Resolutions: FY1998-FY2010
1998
57
21
2000
63
82
2002
102
ar
e
143
Y 2004
123
69
Fiscal 2006
92
365
2008
92
162
2010
79
0
100
200
300
400
Number of Days

Note: Each segment of a bar for a fiscal year represents the duration of one continuing resolution. The left-most segment represents the first continuing resolution,
effective beginning on October 1 (the start of the fiscal year). Duration is measured, in the case of the initial continuing resolution for a fiscal year, from the first day of the
year through the expiration date. For subsequent continuing resolutions for a fiscal year, duration is measured from the expiration date of the preceding continuing
resolution.
CRS-9

Table 3. Number, Length, and Duration of Continuing Resolutions: FY1977-FY2010
Number of
Number of
Fiscal
Acts by
Acts
Public Law
Statutes-at-Large
Page
Enactment
Expiration
Duration
Year
Fiscal Year
Cumulatively
Number
Citation
Length
Date
Date
in Daysa
1977
1
1
P.L. 94-473
90 Stat. 2065-2067
3
10-11-1976
03-31-1977
183

2
2
P.L. 95-16
91 Stat. 28
1
04-01-1977
04-30-1977
30
1978
1
3
P.L. 95-130
91 Stat. 1153-1154
2
10-13-1977
10-31-1977
31

2
4
P.L. 95-165
91 Stat. 1323-1324
2
11-09-1977
11-30-1977
30

3
5
P.L. 95-205
91 Stat. 1460-1461
2
12-09-1977
09-30-1978
304
1979
1
6
P.L. 95-482
92 Stat. 1603-1605
3
10-18-1978
09-30-1979
365
1980
1
7
P.L. 96-86
93 Stat. 656-663
8
10-12-1979
11-20-1979
51

2
8
P.L. 96-123
93 Stat. 923-926
4
11-20-1979
09-30-1980
315
1981
1
9
P.L. 96-369
94 Stat. 1351-1359
9
10-01-1980
12-15-1980
76

2
10
P.L. 96-536
94 Stat. 3166-3172
7
12-16-1980
06-05-1981
172
3 11
P.L.
97-12b 95
Stat.
95-96
2 06-05-1981 09-30-1981
117
1982
1
12
P.L. 97-51
95 Stat. 958-968
11
10-01-1981
11-20-1981
51

2
13
P.L. 97-85
95 Stat. 1098
1
11-23-1981
12-15-1981
22

3
14
P.L. 97-92
95 Stat. 1183-1203
21
12-15-1981
03-31-1982
106

4
15
P.L. 97-161
96 Stat. 22
1
03-31-1982
09-30-1982
183
1983
1
16
P.L. 97-276
96 Stat. 1186-1205
20
10-02-1982
12-17-1982
78

2
17
P.L. 97-377
96 Stat. 1830-1924
95c 12-17-1982 09-30-1983
287
1984
1
18
P.L. 98-107
97 Stat. 733-743
11
10-01-1983
11-10-1983
41

2
19
P.L. 98-151
97 Stat. 964-982
19
11-10-1983
09-30-1984
325
1985
1
20
P.L. 98-441
98 Stat. 1699-1701
3
10-03-1984
10-03-1984
3

2
21
P.L. 98-453
98 Stat. 1731
1
10-05-1984
10-05-1984
2

3
22
P.L. 98-455
98 Stat. 1747
1
10-06-1984
10-09-1984
4

4
23
P.L. 98-461
98 Stat. 1814
1
10-10-1984
10-11-1984
2

5
24
P.L. 98-473
98 Stat. 1837-1976
140d 10-12-1984 09-30-1985
354
CRS-10

Number of
Number of
Fiscal
Acts by
Acts
Public Law
Statutes-at-Large
Page
Enactment
Expiration
Duration
Year
Fiscal Year
Cumulatively
Number
Citation
Length
Date
Date
in Daysa
2010 1
147
P.L.
111-68n
123 Stat. 2043-2053
11
10-01-2009
10-31-2009
31
2 148
P.L.
111-88o
123 Stat. 2972-2974
3
10-30-2009
12-18-2009
48
Sources: Prepared by the Congressional Research Service using data from: (1) the Legislative Information System; (2) Congressional Research Service, Appropriations
Status Tables (various fiscal years), available at http://crs.gov/Pages/appover.aspx; and (3) various other sources.
a. Duration is measured, in the case of the initial continuing resolution for a fiscal year, from the first day of the year (October 1) through the expiration date. For
subsequent continuing resolutions for a fiscal year, duration is measured from the expiration date of the preceding continuing resolution. In several instances, as
appropriate, the number of days reflects an extra day in a leap year (every fourth year beginning with calendar year 1976).
Several continuing resolutions provided continuing appropriations for mixed periods of time. For example, three continuing resolutions—P.L. 96-86 (for FY1980), P.L.
97-51 (for FY1982), and P.L. 97-276 (for FY1983)—were enacted in November or December of the applicable year for periods covering 51 days, 51 days, and 78 days,
respectively, but they also included continuing appropriations for the remainder of that fiscal year for activities covered by the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act.
(See also the discussion of actions for FY1996 under footnote “j.”) In these instances, the “Duration in Days” column reflects the time period that applied
predominately to activities funded by the measure.
b. Title IV (95 Stat. 95-96) of P.L. 97-12, the Supplemental Appropriations and Rescission Act for FY1981, provided continuing appropriations for FY1981; the other titles
of the act (95 Stat. 14-95) are excluded from the page count.
c. P.L. 97-377 incorporated the ful text of various regular appropriations acts.
d. Title I (98 Stat. 1837-1976) of P.L. 98-473 provided continuing appropriations for FY1985; the other title, Title II (98 Stat. 1976-2199), set forth the Comprehensive
Crime Control Act of 1984, and is excluded from the page count.
e. P.L. 99-190 incorporated the ful text of various regular appropriations acts.
f.
P.L. 99-591 superseded P.L. 99-500 and corrected enrollment errors in the earlier act; both laws originated as H.J.Res. 738.
g. P.L. 100-202 incorporated the ful text of various regular appropriations acts.
h. Title I (104 Stat. 867-870) of P.L. 101-403 provided continuing appropriations for FY1991; Titles II and III (104 Stat. 871-874) provided supplemental appropriations and
are excluded from the page count.
i.
Section 106(c) of P.L. 102-145 provided that, as an exception to the general expiration date, continuing appropriations for the Foreign Operation Appropriations Act
would expire on March 31, 1992 (a duration of 154 days).
j.
A total of 13 continuing resolutions were enacted for FY1996 (and one was vetoed) during a period of heightened confrontation over budgetary legislation between
Congress and President Bill Clinton. Two funding gaps occurred, the first in mid-November 1995 and the second from mid-December 1995 until early January 1996.
The continuing resolutions for this year may be divided into two categories depending on whether their coverage general y was comprehensive or selective. Nine of
the continuing resolutions enacted for FY1996 general y provided short-term funding for al activities under the regular appropriations acts that had not yet been
enacted, while the other four provided funding only for selected activities within certain acts. The four acts in the latter category included the following:
(1) P.L. 104-69, which funded the Aid to Families With Dependent Children (AFDC) and Foster Care and Adoption Assistance programs, programs of the District of
Columbia, and certain veterans’ programs;
(2) P.L. 104-90, which funded programs of the District of Columbia;
(3) P.L. 104-91, Title I, which funded a variety of programs, including ones pertaining to the Peace Corps, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Federal
CRS-16

Bureau of Investigation, trade adjustment assistance benefits, and the National Institutes of Health, among others; and
(4) P.L. 104-92, which funded a variety of programs, including ones pertaining to nutrition services for the elderly, visitor services in the National Park System, certain
veterans’ programs, and programs of the District of Columbia, among others.
Activities under two of the regular appropriations acts for FY1996 were funded through the end of the fiscal year (September 30, 1996) in continuing resolutions: (1)
Title IV of P.L. 104-92 provided such funding for activities covered by the District of Columbia Appropriations Act; and (2) Title III of P.L. 104-99 provided such
funding for activities covered by the Foreign Operations Appropriations Act. In addition, other selected activities were funded through the remainder of the fiscal year
in P.L. 104-91, P.L. 104-92, and P.L. 104-122. Action on the regular appropriations acts for FY1996 was concluded with the enactment of P.L. 104-134, the Omnibus
Consolidated Rescissions and Appropriations Act of 1996, on April 26, 1996 (110 Stat. 1321 through 1321-381), which provided funding for the remainder of the fiscal
year for activities covered by five of the regular appropriations acts.
Three of the continuing resolutions had mixed periods of duration. The duration shown in the table was determined as follows:
(1) most of the funding provided in P.L. 104-92 was for the remainder of the fiscal year, so a duration of 290 days was used;
(2) while the funding provided in P.L. 104-99 for activities covered by the Foreign Operations Appropriations Act was for the remainder of the fiscal year, the funding
provided for activities covered by four other regular appropriations acts was through March 15, 1996, so a duration of 49 days was used; and
(3) most of the funding provided in P.L. 104-122 was through April 24, while only one account was funded through the remainder of the fiscal year, so a duration of 26
days was used.
In the case of P.L. 104-91, a measure requiring the Secretary of Commerce to convey to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts the National Marine Fisheries Service
laboratory located on Emerson Avenue in Gloucester, Massachusetts, Title I (110 Stat. 10-14) of the act provided continuing appropriations for selected activities for
the remainder of FY1996; Section 1 (110 Stat. 7-10) and Title II (110 Stat. 14-15) pertained to other matters and are excluded from the page count. Section 110 of the
act made the funding effective as of December 16, 1995.
k. P.L. 108-185 contained provisions affecting funding levels for two specified programs, but did not contain a provision affecting the expiration date of January 31, 2004,
established in the preceding continuing resolution (P.L. 108-135).
l.
Continuing appropriations for FY2007 were provided by Division B (120 Stat. 1311-1316) of P.L. 109-289, the Defense Appropriations Act for FY2007; the other
portions of the act (120 Stat. 1257-1311) are excluded from the page count.
m. Continuing appropriations for FY2008 were provided by Division B (121 Stat. 1341-1344) of P.L. 110-116, the Defense Appropriations Act for FY2008; the other
portions of the act (121 Stat. 1295-1341) are excluded from the page count.
n. Continuing appropriations for FY2010 were provided by Division B (123 Stat. 2043-2053) of P.L. 111-68, the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act for FY2010; the
other portions of the act (123 Stat. 2023-2043) are excluded from the page count.
o. Continuing appropriations for FY2010 were provided by Division B (123 Stat. 2972-2974) of P.L. 111-88, the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
Appropriations Act for FY2010; the other portions of the act (123 Stat. 2904-2972) are excluded from the page count.

CRS-17

Duration of Continuing Resolutions in Recent Years

Author Contact Information

Jessica Tollestrup

Analyst on Congress and the Legislative Process
jtollestrup@crs.loc.gov, 7-0941

Acknowledgments
The original version of this report was written by Robert Keith, formerly a Specialist in American National
Government at CRS. The listed author has revised and updated this report and is available to respond to
inquiries on the subject.

Congressional Research Service
18