Last Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed House Joint Resolution 124, a continuing resolution for fiscal year 2015 that will fund the federal government until Dec. 11. The continuing resolution, which was passed the following day by the U.S. Senate, sets the discretionary funding level for the federal government — at least until Dec. 11— at an annual rate of $1.012 trillion. Whenever Congress fails to pass a budget before the federal fiscal year ends Sept. 30, passing a continuing resolution is necessary to avoid a shutdown of the federal government, as happened last year.