From the U.S. Government Accountability Office, www.gao.gov

Transcript for: Continuing Resolutions' Impact on DOD

Description: 

  A continuing resolution (CR) is a type of temporary appropriation act
that provides budget authority to keep federal agencies or specific
activities in operation when a regular appropriation act has not been
enacted by the beginning of the fiscal year. In all but 12 of the last
49 fiscal years, the Department of Defense (DOD) has had to carry out
its critical national security mission while operating under a CR. DOD
officials from the selected activities and programs that GAO reviewed
reported facing delays, increased costs, operational challenges,
spending challenges, and administrative burdens as a result of CRs.

Related GAO Work: GAO-26-107065. Defense Budget: Effects of Continuing
Resolutions on Selected Activities and Programs Critical to DOD's
National Security Mission

Released: February 2026

[ GAO's Rashmi Agarwal, Director, Defense Capabilities & Management,
speaking ]

  Continuing resolutions, commonly known as CRs, are temporary
appropriations that federal government agencies receive when regular
appropriations are not enacted by the beginning of a fiscal year. In
this report, we examine the effects of CRs on DOD activities and
programs that are critical to its national security mission. 

  The Department has had to make adjustments in order to operate under
continuing resolutions. DOD's activities and programs face delays,
increased costs, and other challenges which may hamper their ability to
meet the department's national security mission.

  For example, a maintenance depot may have enough funding while under a
CR to continue its operations, but additional funding is needed in order
to transport equipment to and from the depot, funding which is disrupted
by CRs. 

  We hope this report gives decision makers an in-depth understanding on
the specific effects of continuing resolutions on DOD and can inform how
they approach future spending decisions.

To learn more, visit GAO.gov.

 [ End ]

For more info, check out our report GAO-25-107065 at: GAO.gov