From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Backdoor Authority / Backdoor Spending A colloquial phrase for budget authority provided in laws other than appropriations acts, including contract authority and borrowing authority, as well as entitlement authority and the outlays that result from that budget authority. Fiscal Law #1 – Overview … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Expired Account / Expired Appropriation Account An appropriation account expires “[a]t midnight on the last day of an appropriation’s period of availability” and is “no longer available for incurring new obligations.” (GAO Red Book, Volume I, at 1-37.) However, an expired appropriation “remains available for … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Obligation photo credit: smudie A legally binding agreement that will result in outlays, immediately or in the future. A promise to pay. The obligation, the promise to pay, is the initial action in the Federal spending process. Appropriations laws establish whether funds are available to … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Regular Appropriations / Supplemental Appropriations / Continuing Resolutions There are three types of appropriations bills considered by the Congress. Regular appropriations bills provide funding to agencies for the next fiscal year, which runs from October 1 to September 30. Supplemental appropriations bills provide additional funding … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Changes in Mandatory Program Spending / CHIMPS Sessions Unveils Amendments To Combat Billions In Spending Through Waste, Gimmicks CHIMP is an acronym for a “CHange (either a cost or a savings) In a Mandatory Program” that is proposed or enacted in an appropriations … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Office of Personnel Management / Other People’s Money / OPM The core mission of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM): “serves the public by providing human resource management leadership and high-quality services that protect and strengthen the merit system of government in partnership with other … Read more
Over the years our average income has been less than $30,000 (including my husband’s Navy salary and all allowances, plus my spotty freelance income). In less than seven years we saved $49,000, made significant investment purchases (vehicles, appliances, furniture) of $38,000, and were completely debt free! That is an annual savings/investment rate of over $12,500 … Read more
Advanced Federal Budget ProcessCurrent Budget Politics and the Federal Budget Process Who has the most to gain in the budgeting process? Where are you most effective? Where does your power lie in the budget process? Topics covered include The Budget Control Act of 2011 and Sequestration and the President’s Budget submission. Get an advanced understanding … Read more
Understanding Congressional Budgeting and AppropriationsFederal Budgeting in the Age of Deficits Who has the most to gain in the budgeting process? Where are you most effective? Where does your power lie in the budget process? Topics covered include The Budget Control Act of 2011 and Sequestration and the President’s Budget submission. This real-world overview of … Read more
Understanding Congressional Budgeting and AppropriationsFederal Budgeting in the Age of Deficits Who has the most to gain in the budgeting process? Where are you most effective? Where does your power lie in the budget process? This real-world overview of the congressional budget process explores basic congressional budget process concepts along with key players, their roles … Read more