The Hill reported yesterday that Congress is positioned to pass all 12 annual spending bills on time – for the first time in a dozen years.

But it is much easier to be optimistic in May, when the finish line is five months away. Even with a blueprint agreed upon and Democrats in control, infighting over spending priorities can bog down the process, leave lawmakers at an impasse in September and prompt them to pass stopgap spending measures to keep the federal government afloat.

When Congress doesn’t get the spending done on time, it has to pass giant bills on the fly and we the public don’t get a look at what they’re doing. It’s a recipe for trouble.

Congress recently finished its budget. The next step is to consider appropriations bills, which can begin as early as next week. It’s supposed to finish by the end of June, but there’s almost no chance of that happening.