Another fiscal year begins tomorrow, and you know what that means...
Another continuing resolution!
Continuing resolutions (CRs) are stopgap measures that Congress passes to maintain government funding and avoid shutdowns. President Trump is expected to sign another CR tomorrow, and Congress may pass yet another when the next deadline rolls around in November.
Continuing resolutions sound harmless enough until you realize what the alternative is. Congress passes CRs because they aren't able to agree on how to appropriate the trillions of taxpayer dollars they bring in ever year. Continuing resolutions are band-aids on the dysfunction that cripples our nation's capital, and our federal "leaders" have become addicted to these stopgap measures. As the Peter G. Peterson Foundation explains:
Missing the October 1 deadline to enact all 12 appropriation bills is not unusual; in fact, that deadline has not been fully met since fiscal year 1997. Instead, lawmakers have come to rely heavily on CRs — temporary, imperfect solutions that avoid the difficult but necessary work of allocating funding. Lawmakers often enact multiple CRs in a single fiscal year before deciding on full-year funding levels. From appropriations for fiscal year 1998 through today, 117 CRs have been enacted.
Continuing resolutions keep federal agencies from knowing how much money they'll be receiving each year, which exacerbates an already serious problem of waste and abuse among those agencies. CRs are also bad for the economy as a whole because they eliminate predictability about government actions.
But most of all, CRs illustrate once again Congress' utter unwillingness to do its job. Federal politicians in D.C. are terrified of making the tough financial decisions for the good of our country, so they continue to kick the can down the road in the hopes of not having to make a decision.
The status quo is unacceptable. The American people deserve a national government willing and able to appropriate taxpayer dollars responsibly. Congress won't change on its own, which is why we need to call the first-ever Article V Convention of States.
A Convention of States can propose constitutional amendments that enshrine fiscal responsibility in our founding document. These amendments can force Congress to balance the budget, cap spending, and limit taxation. These amendments (and others) are critical for the financial stability of this nation, and Congress will never propose them on its own.
That's why millions of Americans have joined the Convention of States movement, and fifteen states have jumped on board. Sign the petition below to add your name to the list!
