Congress and the President enacted a temporary continuing resolution on September 2 that keeps agencies funded through December 11, 2026 while the regular FY2027 appropriations process continues. The law generally continues programs under prior-year funding structures and covers agencies funded through all 12 annual appropriations bills. If Congress does not enact full-year appropriations or another temporary measure before the deadline, affected federal activities could face a funding gap. The decision is therefore not simply whether to avoid a shutdown, but whether Congress should finish full-year spending legislation, extend current funding again, insist on larger policy or spending changes, or restructure the process around narrower individual bills. Temporary funding buys Congress time but does not settle the year's spending choices. Repeating short extensions can reduce planning certainty, while rushing a massive year-end package can weaken scrutiny. The deadline should be used to decide what kind of appropriations process is actually preferable.
What should Congress prioritize before temporary federal funding expires on December 11?