Richard Arenberg’s “Congressional Procedure” from TheCapitol.Net

ALEXANDRIA, VA – (October 8, 2018) – Just in time for the November midterm elections, TheCapitol.Net is pleased to announce the publication of a major new reference work, Congressional Procedure: A Practical Guide to the Legislative Process in the U.S. Congress, by Richard A. Arenberg. If the U.S. Constitution is the rule book, this is … Read more

Recent CRS Reports – Late September 2013

Ordering a Roll Call Vote in the Senate, CRS Report RS20199, September 9, 2013 (5-page PDF) Funding and Financing Highways and Public Transportation, CRS Report R42877, September 23, 2013 (38-page PDF) Federal Permitting and Oversight of Export of Fossil Fuels, CRS Report R43231, September 17, 2013 (20-page PDF) Reaching the Debt Limit: Background and Potential … Read more

Deferral (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Deferral Any executive branch action or inaction that temporarily withholds, delays, or effectively precludes the obligation or expenditure of budgetary resources. The president reports deferrals to Congress by special message. They are not identified separately in the budget. Deferral: Executive branch action to defer, or … Read more

Rescission (CongressionalGlossary.com)

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

Reduction (CongressionalGlossary.com)

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

Deferral of Budget Authority (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Deferral of Budget Authority photo credit: anarchosyn An action by the executive branch that delays the obligation of budget authority beyond the point it would normally occur. Pursuant to the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974, the President must provide advanced notice to … Read more

Line Item Veto (Item Veto) (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Line Item Veto (Item Veto) photo credit: Jordi Payà Whenever the president signs a bill or joint resolution, the president may cancel in whole (1) any dollar amount of discretionary budget authority, (2) any item of new direct spending, and (3) certain limited tax benefits. … Read more

Impoundments (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Impoundments photo credit: oddsock Any action taken by the executive branch that delays or precludes the obligation or expenditure of budget authority appropriated by Congress. The Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 was enacted after frequent use of impoundments by President Richard Nixon. … Read more

Monthly Treasury Statement (MTS) (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Monthly Treasury Statement (MTS) photo credit: Daquella manera A summary statement prepared from agency accounting reports and issued by the Department of the Treasury (Treasury). The MTS presents the receipts, outlays, resulting budget surplus or deficit, and federal debt for the month and the fiscal … Read more

Glossary of Legislative Terms: “Rescission”

See Rescission (CongressionalGlossary.com)     Courses Congressional Operations Briefing – Capitol Hill Workshop Drafting Federal Legislation and Amendments Writing for Government and Business: Critical Thinking and Writing Custom, On-Site Training Drafting Effective Federal Legislation and Amendments in a Nutshell, Audio Course on CD Congress, the Legislative Process, and the Fundamentals of Lawmaking Series, a Nine-Course … Read more