From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Petition Box photo credit: feeliz A “petition box” is mentioned in older House documents. The “petiton box” was not a physical box in the House, but a method of handling private bills. [It is not necessary that leave should be asked of the House to … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms The United States Congress consists of two separate legislative bodies: the House of Representatives and the Senate. Jointly these two separate legislative bodies are referred to as “Congress”. Congress meets in the United States Capitol building. Congress, n. A body of men who meet to … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Antideficiency Act / Antideficiency Act Violation photo credit: .through my eyes. The Antideficiency Act is a federal law (Pub.L. 97-258, 96 Stat. 923, 1982, 31 U.S.C. §§ 1341-1342, 1511-1519) that: Prohibits the making of expenditures or the incurring of obligations in advance of an appropriation … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Pay-as-You-Go (PAYGO) photo credit: lobo235 A budgetary enforcement mechanism, a process by which direct spending increases or revenue decreases must be offset so that the deficit is not increased or the surplus reduced. A statutory PAYGO requirement was in effect from 1991 through 2002; the … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Outlay photo credit: smudie Outlays are payments made (generally through the issuance of checks or disbursement of cash) to liquidate obligations. The issuance of checks, disbursement of cash, or electronic transfer of funds made to liquidate a federal obligation. Outlays also occur when interest on … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Deficiency Apportionment photo credit: graibeard As provided for in the Antideficiency Act (31 U.S.C. § 1515) an apportionment by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) indicating the need for supplemental budget authority to permit payment of pay increases to civilian and military employees and … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Deficiency Appropriation photo credit: mikecogh An appropriation made to pay obligations for which sufficient funds are not available. The need often results from violations of the Antideficiency Act. Though technically distinct from a supplemental appropriation, Congress has stopped passing separate deficiency appropriations and the distinction … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Agency Mission photo credit: IntelFreePress Agency Mission: Term used in section 1105(a)(22) of title 31 of the United States Code, which outlines content requirements for the President’s budget submission to Congress. Section 1105 requires that the President’s budget contain a statement of agency budget authority … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Rescission Panel 1: The History of the 1921 and 1974 Budget Acts Rescission: Cancellation of budget authority previously provided by Congress. Legislation enacted by Congress that cancels the availability of budget authority previously enacted before the authority would otherwise expire. The Impoundment Control … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Reduction photo credit: eamoncurry123 Cancellation of the availability of budgetary resources previously provided by law before the authority would otherwise lapse. Reductions can be account specific and across-the-board. (See also Rescission; Sequestration.) “Will the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction Succeed?” by Sarah A. Binder, … Read more