Summary
On September 29, Congress passed a continuing resolution (CR) to keep the federal government funded through December 9, 2016. The bill represents the 107th CR since fiscal year (FY) 1977, and this is the 19th consecutive year that a CR has been needed. Lawmakers from both parties and chambers have cited the stopgap measure as evidence of the need to reform the budget process. This Budget Brief provides historical background on the budget process, and highlights recent budget reform proposals.