Update: FY 2008 Appropriations Scorecard

Each fiscal year, Congress must pass 12 appropriations bills to fund the 15 cabinets of the executive branch. Fiscal Year 2008 began on October 1, 2007. Two days into the new fiscal year, Congress has passed

0 out of 12

appropriations bills.

In lieu of appropriations bills, Congress passes "continuing budget resolutions" which are essentially promises from Congress to continue to fund the executive branch departments at current levels. Congress passed such a CBR this past week, continuing its trend of passing CBRs instead of real budgets. This trend began under the last Congress.

That said, the Senate on Monday Oct. 1 passed a Dept of Defense Authorization Act FY 2008, which instructs the DoD on how it will spend FY 2008 appropriations. The Senate has begun debate today on the FY 2008 DoD Appropriations Act.