What is required if Congress fails to pass regular appropriation acts by the beginning of the fiscal year?

When Congress fails to pass regular appropriation acts by the beginning of the fiscal year, a continuing resolution authority (CRA) is required to prevent a government shutdown. A CRA allows federal agencies to continue functioning and provides them with temporary funding at the previous year's levels, or at modified levels, ensuring that government operations can continue without interruption.

The CRA is a critical mechanism for maintaining government services when the regular appropriations process is delayed or contentious, allowing for essential functions to persist while lawmakers negotiate long-term budget solutions. Utilizing a CRA reflects the need for a stopgap measure to keep funding available for government activities until a new budget can be established.