How does the federal budget process work? Q.How does the budget process work? A.Ideally, following submission of the president’s budget proposal, Congress passes a concurrent budget resolution setting total spending, revenue, and deficit targets for at least the next five years, and then passes annual appropriation bills to fund discretionary programs and legislation to enact changes to mandatory programs and taxes. The process has typically broken down at various points in recent years, however, with Congress failing to pass a concurrent resolution or completing action on appropriations. Read more about How does the federal budget process work?
What is reconciliation? Q.What is reconciliation? A.Congressional budget committees use the reconciliation process to ensure tax laws and mandatory spending programs are revised according to the budget resolution’s revenue and mandatory spending targets. Reconciliation is a way to fast-track revenue and spending legislation into becoming law. Read more about What is reconciliation?
What is the schedule for the federal budget process? Q.What is the schedule for the budget process? A.The congressional budget process is meant to last from early February to the end of June, but recent years have seen delays at each stage, particularly in passing congressional budget resolutions and in completing action on appropriation bills. Read more about What is the schedule for the federal budget process?
