The impact of forced budget cuts
01:35 - Source: CNN

Story highlights

21 days - Length of the longest U.S. government shutdown - December 15, 1995, until January 6, 1996

17 - Number of funding gaps between fiscal years 1977 and 2011

129.6 days - Average length of time covered by continuing resolutions enacted during fiscal years 1998 to 2011

42 - Number of continuing resolutions that lasted seven days or less during fiscal years 1998 to 2011

A set of forced budget cuts due to take effect on March 1 isn’t the only fiscal headache facing Congress. On March 27, the so-called continuing resolution that funds federal programs runs out and the government could shut down without a new spending agreement.

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By the numbers, here’s a look at how Congress has delayed on fiscal and budgetary matters through the years:

5 - Continuing resolutions on budget appropriations enacted for fiscal year 2012.

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0 - Times Congress enacted the regular appropriations acts on time between fiscal years 1952 and 1976.

156 - Number of continuing resolutions on budget appropriations enacted for fiscal years 1977 - 2011.

129.6 days - Average length of time covered by continuing resolutions enacted during fiscal years 1998 - 2011.

42 - Number of continuing resolutions that lasted seven days or less during fiscal years 1998 - 2011.

17 - Number of funding gaps between fiscal years 1977 and 2011.

4 - Times since fiscal year 1977 that funding gaps have occurred multiple times in a single fiscal year: three in FY1978, two in FY1983, two in FY1985, and two in FY1996.

21 days - Length of the longest U.S. government shutdown in history, from December 15, 1995, until January 6, 1996.

34 - Percent of Americans who told Gallup in mid February that they felt economic conditions were poor.

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43 - Percentage of respondents who said Congress should prevent forced spending cuts from taking effect on March 1, according to a recent Quinnipiac University poll.

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22 - Percentage of respondents in the same Quinnipiac University poll who said they wanted the spending cuts to happen.

Congress passive as spending cuts near

32- Percentage of respondents in the Quinnipiac poll who had no opinion about whether the forced spending cuts should take effect.

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