The federal government’s fiscal year begins October 1. Ideally, all of the annual appropriation bills will have been passed by then. That hasn’t been the case, however, for many years. Congress must pass a stopgap funding measure to prevent a shutdown, usually kicking the can down the road until there is a shutdown, or a compromise. The stopgap bills are “must pass” legislation, so there is often a chance for chicanery.
Members of both parties play a big game of chicken. In the end massive omnibus bills are passed that no one has time to read.
Not that I have a solution for this, but I would offer for consideration the idea of two-year budget cycles, so we don’t go through it every year.
Jay Bohn
October 2, 2023