From the Highlights: "In all but 3 of the last 46 fiscal years, Congress enacted a CR [continuing resolution]. This allowed federal agencies and programs to continue operations when Congress and the President had not reached agreement on and enacted their regular appropriations by the start of the federal fiscal year. GAO [Government Accountability Office] was asked to review how CRs affect federal agencies and programs. This report describes (1) the history and characteristics of CRs for fiscal years 2010 through 2022 and (2) how selected agency and program operations and services to the public have been affected by CRs, as well as the actions taken to mitigate these effects. GAO reviewed enacted CR legislation and selected agency- and program-specific documents. GAO selected three agencies and programs based on criteria such as whether they provide benefits and services to individuals with low incomes and receive the majority of their funds through discretionary, 1-year appropriations. The three agencies and programs selected were USDA's [United States Department of Agriculture] Section 521 Rural Rental Assistance, Education's PBI [Predominantly Black Institutions] Formula Grants, and HHS' [Department of Health and Human Services's] LIHEAP [Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program]. GAO interviewed selected agency budget officials, program staff, and a nongeneralizable sample of program recipients and national organizations that represent program recipients."