What is PAYGO? Q.What is PAYGO? A.A budget rule requiring that new legislation that affects revenues and spending on entitlement programs, taken as a whole, does not increase projected budget deficits. Read more about What is PAYGO?
What does it mean for a government program to be off-budget? Q.What does it mean for a government program to be off-budget? A.The two Social Security trust funds and the postal service are “off-budget”—their spending and receipts are walled off from the rest of the budget. Putting Social Security and the post office off-budget shields them from some pressures, but policymakers often focus on the unified budget that includes them. A few other agencies are excluded because of their independence (e.g., the Federal Reserve) or private character (e.g., government-sponsored, privately owned entities and funds managed for private citizens). Read more about What does it mean for a government program to be off-budget?
What are rescissions? Q.What are rescissions? A.The rescission process allows a president to avoid spending money on discretionary programs that has been appropriated by the Congress, but not yet obligated for the purchases of goods and services. Read more about What are rescissions?
