What Will New Continuing Resolution Say?

The current continuing funding resolution under which Social Security is operating expires on Friday, December 8, according to the Library of Congress. There will be a new continuing resolution before the end of this week. The big question is what it will say. Congress has passed no budget for the Social Security Administration for the current fiscal year, which began on October 1. The agency is operating under a continuing funding resolution that allows the agency to spend money only at a very low rate. If the current continuing resolution provisions are continued, Social Security cannot hire new employees to replace any who leave and there is a threat of a furlough for current employees, simply because there may not be enough money to keep the offices open every day. It is already clear that there will not be a budget for the current fiscal year until after the new Congress convenes in January. It is not clear how long it will take the new Congress to produce a new budget. Will the new continuing resolution continue funding only at the current very low level which may require a furlough of Social Security employees before a new budget is passed or will the funding level be increased so that Social Security can operate effectively until a new Congress can pass a funding bill?