Appropriations

Each year, by the first Monday in February, the president presents to Congress his annual budget request for the following fiscal year. The budget contains estimates of federal government income and spending for the upcoming fiscal year and also recommends funding levels for the federal government. Congress then must pass appropriations bills based on the president's recommendations and Congressional priorities.

Appropriations provide funds for an already authorized agency or program and are deliberated through the Senate Committee on Appropriations. The Committee has thirteen appropriations subcommittees, and each is responsible for one of the regular appropriations bills. These bills provide the budget authority for the following fiscal year for the corresponding executive agencies. For example, the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), and Education puts together the Labor, HHS, and Education appropriations bill. This bill provides the budget for the Departments of Labor, HHS, and Education.

In recent years, Congress has passed some of the regular appropriations bills individually but not all of them. For example, in 2004, nine of the thirteen appropriations acts were combined into a single omnibus appropriations act. While this option allows Congress to process and complete its business more efficiently, especially in the waning days of a session, it also opens the doors for less oversight into what funding and legislative provisions are included in what is often an over 1,000-page bill. Debate on individual appropriations bills is a valuable process that often results in better public policy and allocation of funds.

If Congress does not pass appropriations bills before the start of the fiscal year in October, it enacts a continuing resolution that allows Federal agencies and programs to continue in operation until the regular appropriations acts are enacted.

APPROPRIATIONS AT A GLANCE

• President submits budget to Congress early in the year
• Senate Committee on Appropriations deliberates budgets for executive agencies
• Continuing Resolutions will allow executive agencies to function past the end of the government fiscal year

LEGISLATION

There are four types of legislation: bills, joint resolutions, concurrent resolutions, and simple resolutions. [MORE]

NOMINATIONS

The Constitution provides that the president appoints officers of the United States with the advice and consent of the Senate. [MORE]