Word around Washington is that Congress is unlikely to finish its appropriations bills before the election and may choose to pass a yearlong "continuing resolution" for all of fiscal year 2009. That might sound arcane, but here's the silver lining: such a move would save Reading First from its imminent demise. That's because the program is receiving about $400 million this fiscal year and, with a continuing resolution, would receive the same next. That's $400 million more than it would receive otherwise, as both chambers of Congress zeroed out the program in their appropriations bills.
