Budget Process: How Federal Spending and Tax Provisions Become Law

This page can be reached directly at BudgetProcessExplained.com.

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Link to:

• BUDGET PROCESS - RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

• APPROPRIATIONS LAW

• BUDGET LAWS AND RULES

• BUDGET RECONCILIATION EXPLAINED

• GLOSSARY OF TERMS USED IN THE BUDGET PROCESS

• HOUSE AND SENATE RULES AND PROCEDURES

• LIBRARY: BUDGET PROCESS DOCUMENTS

• IMPOUNDMENT CONTROL ACT: RESCISSIONS AND DEFERRAL

  • Recent Developments: Impoundment of Funds

  • Background: Rescissions and Deferrals under the ICA

  • Rescission Proposals from the White House

  • Deferral Notifications from the White House

  • GAO Determinations

  • Presidential Impoundment: Relevant Court Cases and Legal Opinions

  • Articles and Additional Background on Impoundment

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• EXPLANATIONS:

  • Budget Concepts

    • Appropriations vs. Authorizations

    • Budget Authority vs. Outlays

    • Budget Baselines and Scorekeeping

    • Deficits vs. Debt

    • Discretionary Spending vs. Direct (Mandatory) Spending

    • Entitlements and Appropriated Entitlements

    • Gross Domestic Product

    • Pay-As-You-Go (PAYGO) Requirement

    • Revenues, Receipts, and Fees

    • Unified Budget vs. Separate Operating and Capital Budgets

  • Apportionment and Allotment

  • Budget Functions

  • Budget Points of Order

  • Budget Reconciliation Explained

  • Budget Resolutions Explained and Historical Table

  • Budget Resolution Reserve Funds Explained

  • Byrd Rule Explained (Senate)

  • CHIMPs (Changes in Mandatory Programs)

  • Continuing Resolutions (CRs)

  • Deeming Resolutions: Background and Historical Table

  • Discretionary Spending Limits (“Caps”)

  • Earmarks

  • Federal Credit Reform: Background and Recent Developments

  • Government Sponsored Enterprises (GSEs)

  • Omnibus, Minibus, and Cromnibus Bills

  • Sequestration Explained

  • Shutdowns

  • Spending Limits (Caps)

  • Supplemental Appropriations