Temporary Budget Advancing

Congress could finalize as soon as this week a temporary government funding bill for the early part of the fiscal year that starts October 1, clearing the way for a recess through the elections. The “continuing resolution” would generally extend agency funding authority at current levels until December 11, avoiding the kind of partial government shutdown that occurred last year. There is no expectation of a repeat of that experience, although as is common in such situations the stopgap bill has hit several snags. The measure contains no provision regarding a 2015 federal employee pay raise, in effect leaving the path clear for a 1 percent increase to be paid by default in January.