House and Senate Appropriations committees put together 12 detailed appropriations bills representing 12 separate areas of government.They may or may not take the President’s recommendations. The House and Senate pass budget resolutions, setting total spending levels for the year.The President submits a budget request to Congress for what he/she/they would like to see.This is how the appropriations process is supposed to go: Each year, Congress sets discretionary spending levels through the appropriations process, with the President playing a supporting role. For example, FY 2021 ran from Octothrough September 30, 2021. federal budget operates on fiscal years that run from October 1 to September 30. Most federal programs, and possibly most issues you care about, have to squeeze into this part of the federal budget. The other half is split between things like public education, housing, public health, medical research, energy, the environment, federal law enforcement, and even veterans’ benefits, which aren’t part of the military budget. The biggest example of discretionary spending is the military budget, which accounts for half or more of the discretionary budget almost every year (the COVID-19 pandemic is a recent exception). Then, Congress does it all again next year. If that money runs out before the end of the year, the government can’t spend more unless Congress votes on a new appropriation. Appropriations last just one year, and do set a specific budget. Then there are appropriations bills, which focus on discretionary spending. Everyone who is eligible can get benefits. If lots of people retire and qualify for Social Security checks, more is spent. In these programs, how much is spent depends on how many people qualify. The biggest and most well-known examples of mandatory spending are Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid benefits. Congress can also make changes along the way, but if they don’t, this spending continues pretty much on auto-pilot. When a spending authorization finally expires, Congress can vote to continue it as is, or make changes. The way issues end up in one bucket or the other has a lot to do with history.Īuthorizations bills 3 for mandatory spending often last several years. There are also appropriations, which legislate what is known as discretionary spending. These are necessary for both mandatory and discretionary spending. To set the federal budget, Congress passes two kinds of laws that set the budget for our country. A third category, interest on the national debt, will come up later. The federal budget is made up of two major kinds of spending: mandatory and discretionary spending. The Annual Budget Process – What’s In and What’s Out Unfortunately, the budget process today is still rife with dysfunction – and yet, every year, Congress passes a budget. Over the course of the twentieth century, Congress passed laws that have shaped the budget process into what it is today. In 1974, in response to a dysfunctional budget process, Congress passed a law setting some guidelines for how to create the federal budget. The Constitution does not, however, specify how Congress should exercise these powers, how to spend or raise money, or where the money should go. The constitution also grants Congress the authority to create and collect taxes, and to borrow money when needed. 1 This part of the Constitution doesn’t even mention the president. Constitution promises the "power of the purse,” or the ability to spend money, to Congress. How It’s Supposed to Work (and How It Does) That story continues today, and you are a part of it. History is full of examples of ordinary people working together to end wars, expand health care, win civil rights, and so much more. There have always been people who disagreed with our national budget priorities. Those values may be very different from yours. How much we spend on education versus war, or health care versus incarceration, shows our values as a nation. Should we deport community members who don’t have immigration papers, or welcome them?Įvery one of today’s hot button issues can be found in the federal budget. How did we end up with policies that nurtured white supremacy, mass incarceration and police violence, and what can we do to stop them? Facebook Twitter What sort of country do you want to live in?ĭo you want access to education? Health care? Clean energy? Job opportunities? How much are those things worth?ĭoes it make sense that the richest country in the world still has rampant poverty?
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |