Read this as many times as it takes for your pea brain to process it. Concentrate on #1 and #4, so you don't overload that pea brain of yours with too many words.
A CR is simply an appropriation of funds for programs that have already been negotiated, voted on, passed, and signed into law.
This is not a place to try to start new spending or programs. In fact, new spending is PROHIBITED in a CR.
Summary
The program activities of most federal agencies are generally funded on an annual basis through the enactment of regular appropriations acts. When those annual appropriations acts are not enacted by the beginning of the fiscal year (October 1), one or more continuing appropriations acts (commonly known as continuing resolutions or CRs) may be enacted to provide temporary funding to continue certain programs and activities until action on the regular appropriations acts is completed.
There are six main features of CRs.
First, CRs have provided funding for certain activities (coverage), which are typically specified with reference to the prior fiscal year's appropriations acts.
Second, CRs provide budget authority for a specified duration of time. This duration may be as short as a single day or as long as the remainder of the fiscal year.
Third, in recent practice, CRs have typically provided funds based on an overall funding raterather than in specified amounts.
Fourth, the use of budget authority provided in the CR has been prohibited for new activities not funded in the previous fiscal year.
Fifth, the duration and amount of funds in the CR, and purposes for which they may be used for specified activities, may be adjusted through anomalies.
Sixth, legislative provisions—which create, amend, or extend other laws—have been included in some instances.
