What’s the effect of the budget impasse?

House and Senate appropriations committees want to know how well agencies can meet the President’s Management Agenda goals if they must operate under a long-term continuing resolution. Congress this week passed a continuing resolution to fund the government through Nov. 22, and some observers believe the fiscal 2003 budget will not be settled until February or March.By Dec. 6, agencies must tell the committees whether they are meeting administration goals for budget and performance integration, competitive sourcing, e-government, financial performance and human capital management.“What is better than [the Office of Management and Budget’s] categories to see the effects of the continuing resolution?” asked John Scofield, a House Appropriations Committee spokesman. “We oppose any long-term continuing resolution, and we want to show how a longer one will affect these programs.”A spokesman said OMB is working with agencies to meet the requirements in the continuing resolution, but he would not go into detail.An OMB official said the impasse should not affect the 25 e-government initiatives or other high-priority IT projects because most of the spending is scheduled to take place between April and September.