Last week, Congress officially kicked the FY 2027 funding can down the road. The House overwhelmingly approved the Senate's bipartisan continuing resolution by a 370-48 vote, sending the measure to President Trump, who signed it into law on Wednesday, September 2. The legislation keeps the government funded at current levels through December 11, removing the immediate threat of a government shutdown and giving lawmakers additional time to work through the annual appropriations process. The Senate had previously passed the measure on August 8 by a 90-6 vote.
For appropriators, the CR's enactment creates something Washington rarely enjoys in September: breathing room. Instead of spending the next four weeks lurching toward a shutdown deadline, Congress can turn its attention back to regular-order appropriations. The question is whether lawmakers actually use the runway they just created.