Although the President submitted this year’s budget two months late, it’s clear that the various fiscal cliffs, the on again off again on again sequester and the continuing resolutions have made budget planning a nightmare. In defense, the budget proposes a new round of base closures that would begin in

The sequester was, of course, never supposed to happen. The indiscriminate cuts to spending would be so damaging that surely Congress would take some action to avoid it – except it didn’t. With the exception of certain exempted programs – military salaries, veteran’s programs, Social Security, welfare and food stamps

The continuing resolution (CR) that passed in the House on March 6 was expected to easily pass in the Senate last week (wait a minute; did I just say “easily pass in the Senate”?). Both bills would fund the government at sequester level spending through September 30. The Senate version

Both chambers remain on course to pass a largely uncontroversial extension of the expiring continuing resolution (CR) that will be comprised of an omnibus and probably five out of the 12 individual appropriations bills. It will set FY13 discretionary spending at $984b, equal to the sequester level, but with increased

CR Update: Yesterday the House passed a six-month FY13 continuing resolution (CR) that maintains sequester level spending for the remainder of the fiscal year, but provides appropriations to Defense and Milcon-VA. The measure, HR 933, passed by a vote of 267-151, would extend the federal pay freeze but grants military

With two potential budget showdowns on the horizon – the sequester and the expiration of the Continuing Resolution (CR); and a third down the road – the next expiration of the debt ceiling – Democrats and Republicans appear to be headed for a confrontation over the sequester. Both sides are

Having barely avoided falling off the fiscal cliff on January 1, we soon found ourselves sliding down a slippery slope toward a dark and gloomy abyss. The sequester was postponed for only two months, the debt ceiling was raised, but only until May, and we continue to hurtle toward the

Despite the postponement of H.R. 273 (see accompanying newsletter), some fiscal hawks are unlikely to abandon their assault on federal pay. During the last Congress Republicans proposed several bills that would have extended the federal pay freeze up to five years, as well as proposals to prohibit feds from receiving

Even the uncertainty is uncertain. Having managed to barely avoid tumbling over the fiscal cliff, the sky has darkened and we’re facing a perfect storm of budget crises that includes addressing the debt ceiling, sequestration part 2, and the expiration of the continuing resolution (CR). Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta