Ever wonder why Congress keeps coming up on deadlines to fund the government in order to avoid the dreaded “government shutdown?” Were things always run this way? No, they absolutely were not. The explanation for the current fiscal insanity goes back to 1974 and begins with the idea that the fiscal year running from July 1 to June 30 didn’t really give Congress enough time (January to June 30) to create an actual budget, so they voted among themselves to change the dates of the fiscal year to run from October 1 of each year until September 30 of the following year. They did that rather than attempt to change the meeting dates of Congress because that would have required changing the Constitution.
Attention! Deficit Disorder!
Attention! Deficit Disorder!
Attention! Deficit Disorder!
Ever wonder why Congress keeps coming up on deadlines to fund the government in order to avoid the dreaded “government shutdown?” Were things always run this way? No, they absolutely were not. The explanation for the current fiscal insanity goes back to 1974 and begins with the idea that the fiscal year running from July 1 to June 30 didn’t really give Congress enough time (January to June 30) to create an actual budget, so they voted among themselves to change the dates of the fiscal year to run from October 1 of each year until September 30 of the following year. They did that rather than attempt to change the meeting dates of Congress because that would have required changing the Constitution.