[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 157 (Wednesday, September 27, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4723-S4724]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

      By Mr. KAINE:
  S. 2950. A bill to align the fiscal year with the calendar year; to 
the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
  Mr. KAINE. Madam President, today I want to discuss legislation I am 
introducing, the Modernizing the Federal Calendar Act.
  This bill would shift the start of each fiscal year from October 1 to 
January 1 and, in doing so, align the deadline for appropriations with 
the deadline that Congress typically sees as the real target. This bill 
would eliminate the risk of government shutdowns in October, reduce the 
time spent on CRs, and lead to a higher probability of completing 
government funding work on time.
  Congress's recurring reliance on continuing resolutions, CRs, to 
temporarily fund the government from the start of the fiscal year until 
the winter holidays poses significant challenges for Federal Agencies 
due to delays to contracts, grants, and hiring while operating under 
CRs. Even if Congress misses the December 31 deadline, changing the 
fiscal calendar will still yield benefits, as it will give Federal 
Agencies more time to enact the appropriations bills once passed and 
eliminate the annual uncertainty around a short-term CR in September 
among Agencies, government employees, and industries that rely on 
government operations.
  In addition, Americans are forced to worry about a potential 
government shutdown if Congress can't reach an agreement on a year-long 
government funding bill or CR, creating unnecessary stress and 
uncertainty for the millions of Americans who work for or with the 
Federal Government, as well as the countless people and small 
businesses that rely on full-scale government operations and services. 
Starting

[[Page S4724]]

the fiscal year on January 1 will not end the possibility of shutdowns, 
but it will eliminate need to pass a CR by October 1 to fund the 
government and help ensure that Congress passes government funding 
bills without a shutdown.
  Today, as the Federal Government rapidly approaches the end of the 
fiscal year, I am reminded that Congress has never passed all 12 
appropriations bills by the October 1 deadline during my entire time in 
the Senate. Since the Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 
updated the start of the fiscal year from July 1 to October 1, there 
have only been 4 years where Congress has passed yearlong government 
funding bills by October 1. The last time Congress did so was for 
fiscal year 1997. This trend makes clear that Congress already sees the 
December holidays as the real deadline and that the time to improve the 
certainty and reliability of the appropriations process is now.

                          ____________________