Continuing Resolution Definition

An act of Congress which extends the current governmental budget situation through allocation of further funds in the same manner as the current budget, to avoid a government shutdown due to lack of allocated funding. This stopgap bill measure is used to continue funding before passages of new budgets, where funding ends at the end of one budgetary period, before beginning at the start of the next passed budget bill. If there is no passed budget available for funding, then this is necessary or a shutdown occurs.