From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms
Direct Spending / Mandatory Spending: Budget authority, and the resulting outlays, provided in laws other than appropriations acts.
Spending controlled outside of annual appropriations acts, specifically including the Food Stamp (now SNAP) program; also referred to as mandatory spending.
As defined by the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, entitlement authority, the Food Stamp Program, and budget authority provided by law other than appropriations acts. Direct spending may be temporary or permanent, definite or indefinite (as to amount) but it is an appropriation or other budget authority made available to agencies in an act other than an appropriation act. Under expired Budget Enforcement Act (BEA) provisions, new direct spending was subject to pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) requirements.
Contrast to Discretionary Spending.
Discretionary and mandatory outlays of the US Federal Government
Discretionary and mandatory outlays of the US Federal Government
More
- Chapter 7.D. Reconciliation Bills; Chapter 7.F. PAYGO; in Congressional Procedure
- Entitlement Authority
- Budget Authority (CongressionalGlossary.com)
- Appropriation Act / Appropriation Bill / Continuing Resolution / Continuing Appropriations (CongressionalGlossary.com)
- Appropriation / Cardinals of Congress (CongressionalGlossary.com)
- Changes in Mandatory Program Spending / CHIMPS (CongressionalGlossary.com)
- Outlay (CongressionalGlossary.com)
- “Budget Enforcement Procedures: The Senate Pay-As-You-Go (PayGO) Rule,” CRS Report RL31943 (28-page PDF
) - “Budget Reconciliation Legislation: Development and Consideration,” CRS Report 98-814 (5-page PDF)
- “Mandatory Spending Since 1962,” CRS Report RL33074 (24-page PDF)
- “Social Security Administration (SSA): Budget Issues,” CRS Report R41716 (20-page PDF)
- “OMB Controls on Agency Mandatory Spending Programs: “Administrative PAYGO” and Related Issues for Congress,” CRS Report R41375 (39-page PDF)
- “The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): Categorical Eligibility,” CRS Report R42054 (25-page PDF)
- “Error and Fraud in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP),” CRS Report R45147 (72-page PDF)
- “Noncitizen Eligibility for Federal Public Assistance: Policy Overview,” CRS Report RL33809 (24-page PDF)
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