continuing resolution

noun

plural continuing resolutions

US government

: a legislative resolution (see resolution sense 3a) that Congress can enact to provide temporary funding to particular federal programs and activities when an annual appropriations bill has not been approved by the start of the fiscal year : a temporary spending bill that allows some federal government funding to continue at existing levels for a stated period of time until a full budget bill is passed

The continuing resolution that ended the shutdown funds the government at 2025 levels only through Jan. 30.

—Jessica Bowman

Last-minute temporary government funding bills, known as continuing resolutions, have become commonplace in Congress thanks to partisan disagreements over government spending.

—Susan Ferrechio

called also CR

Examples of continuing resolution in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The continuing resolution delays the prohibition on hemp products from November 12 until December 11, giving lawmakers time to regulate the popular consumer products instead of prohibiting them outright. — A.j. Herrington, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026

The continuing resolution passed by a vote of 90-6, including a provision which would block a White House proposal to give political appointees authority to review and approve grants. — Emily R. Condon, USA Today, 8 Aug. 2026

Before leaving town for its August recess, the House approved a separate continuing resolution that would also fund the government into December. — Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 8 Aug. 2026

From 2010 through 2021, the Defense Department started the fiscal year under continuing resolutions—temporary funding measures—for 11 of those 12 years, according to the Government Accountability Office. — Nancy A. Youssef, The Atlantic, 17 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1912, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for continuing resolution

• ablution
• aleutian
• confucian
• dilution
• elution
• locution
• pollution
• solution
• volution
• absolution
• allocution
• attribution