When Congress hasn't passed the new fiscal year's Appropriation Act by the start of a new fiscal year, SAF/FMB provides what?

• A. Emergency Spending Authorization
• B. Continuing Resolution Authority (CRA)
• C. Supplemental Budget Act
• D. Temporary Fund Allocation

Answer: (B)

When a new fiscal year's Appropriation Act hasn't been enacted by the start of the year, SAF/FMB steps in to provide Continuing Resolution Authority. This mechanism keeps government operations funded so there’s no abrupt shutdown, buying time for Congress to finish the regular appropriations. A continuing resolution typically allows obligations and expenditures at current (prior-year) funding levels, sometimes with specific adjustments or restrictions such as prohibiting new starts or requiring certain controls. This approach prevents gaps in funding while negotiations continue.

The other options don’t fit because emergency spending authorizations are reserved for specific, unforeseen emergencies and don’t bridge the general funding gap for a full operating year; a supplemental budget act adds funding after the fact but isn’t the standard bridge when the new year begins; and a temporary fund allocation isn’t the recognized mechanism used to maintain continuous funding across the start of a new fiscal year.