CR Catastrophe
Why the Latest Continuing Resolution Still Fell Short
The most recent Continuing Resolution (CR), intended to prevent a government shutdown, failed to pass due to mounting opposition—particularly from House Republicans who stood on principle. While the CR represented a notable improvement over its predecessors by omitting some of the most frivolous earmarks, it still included non-essential spending that betrayed its primary purpose. Compounding this was the way the bill was handled—rushed through Congress without giving legislators adequate time to review its contents. The result was a failure to achieve consensus and yet another example of the dysfunction that plagues Washington.
An Improvement, but Still Off Track
The CR aimed to keep the government funded while Congress continued negotiations on a broader budget. However, it included several items that conservatives found objectionable:
1. Haiti Criminal Collusion Transparency Act
While tackling corruption in Haiti is commendable, this provision is irrelevant to keeping the U.S. government operational and should have been considered separately.
2. Recycling Infrastructure Programs
While environmentally beneficial, this allocation strays from the urgent priorities a CR should address.
3. Pandemic Preparedness Allocations
Continued funding for COVID-19-related initiatives appears more aligned with ongoing policy goals than with immediate operational needs.
4. $5.7 Billion for Submarines
Including funding for submarines raises serious questions about its relevance to a CR meant to address short-term government operations.
House Republicans Stand on Principle
One of the most striking aspects of the CR’s failure was the strong opposition from House Republicans. Thirty-eight Republican lawmakers voted against the bill, citing their frustration with the process and the bill’s contents. Among them was Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN), who shared his reasoning in a video statement:
> "Everybody, Tim Burchett, just voted against the CR, and I wanna tell you why. It's over a $1,000,000,000,000, and we never even got to read the dad-gum bill. A $100,000,000,000 in disaster assistance that were given to this administration to spend in the next 30 days. We don't trust them with 50¢, much less...$100,000,000,000 unchecked again.
> "$5,700,000,000 in there for submarines. Now you gotta ask yourself, what does that have to do with this? Why is it in there? Just a lot of things. I guess it just goes back to actual spending.
> "And then it is a continuation of Pelosi-Schumer spending levels. We can do better. This is not the way to run a government. You all elected us to do it differently, and that's what we need to do."
Burchett’s frustration reflects a broader conservative critique: that the CR perpetuates excessive spending levels established under Democratic leadership, includes unrelated provisions, and gives the current administration unchecked control over substantial funds.
The Intent of a Continuing Resolution
A CR’s purpose is simple: to ensure that essential government services remain operational while lawmakers finalize a full budget. By design, these stopgap measures should focus exclusively on funding critical operations such as national defense, public safety, and basic government functions. Instead, Congress has repeatedly used CRs to push through unrelated policy agendas, sidestepping debate and transparency.
A Missed Opportunity for Fiscal Responsibility
The failure of this CR highlights the growing frustration among fiscal conservatives with Congress’s inability to govern responsibly. A clean CR, focused solely on essentials, could have been a unifying measure and a step toward restoring public trust. Instead, the inclusion of non-essential items and the lack of transparency undermined confidence in the process.
What Needs to Change
The inability to pass this CR underscores the need for significant reform in how Congress approaches budgeting and spending. To move forward, lawmakers must:
1. Focus on Essentials
CRs should fund only the most critical government functions, avoiding unrelated policy measures and earmarks.
2. Ensure Transparency
Legislators must be given ample time to read and debate spending bills to ensure accountability.
3. Commit to Balanced Budgets
Congress must make balancing the budget a top priority, addressing the $33 trillion national debt with urgency and discipline.
4. Return to Regular Order
The appropriations process must return to a predictable, transparent schedule where individual spending bills are debated and voted on.
Conclusion
The failure of the latest CR should serve as a wake-up call for Congress. While it was an improvement over previous iterations, it still fell short of what the American people deserve: a responsible, transparent, and effective government. House Republicans like Rep. Tim Burchett, who voted against the bill on principle, were right to demand better. Continuing resolutions are meant to be temporary fixes, not vehicles for unrelated spending or rushed decision-making. If Congress does not change course, it risks further eroding public trust and pushing the nation deeper into fiscal chaos.
---
References
Congressional Budget Office. (2024). The budget and economic outlook: Fiscal years 2024 to 2033. Retrieved from https://www.cbo.gov/
H.R. Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2025. (2024). Retrieved from the uploaded file.
Wulfsohn, J. (2024, December 18). 38 Republicans voted against Trump-backed CR in protest of spending levels. Yahoo News. Retrieved from https://www.yahoo.com/