Byron Dorgan: “we are debating a continuing resolution for 3 weeks. The continuing resolution, which probably doesn't mean much to a…”

“we are debating a continuing resolution for 3 weeks. The continuing resolution, which probably doesn't mean much to a lot of people, commonly called a CR here in Congress--means we continue the appropriations level of those appropriated accounts that now exist for a time until the appropriations bills are debated and voted on by the Congress. Normally, we should do that by September 30, and then, by October 1, the new fiscal year starts. When the new fiscal year starts, the new appropriations bills which we have passed come into effect and provide the funding. Because we have not passed, finally, between the House and the Senate, appropriations bills from the conference reports, we don't have funding that is assured for the coming fiscal year. Therefore, there will be a continuing resolution. Why haven't we passed the appropriations bills coming out of a conference with the House of Representatives? The answer is, simply, we have not been able to do that because the money doesn't exist to fit all of the priorities in the budget that was passed by the Republicans this spring.”