American Politics Today - Essentials (3rd Ed)

1ST

MONDAY

IN FEB.

The president submits

budget to Congress.

FEB.

15TH

CBO issues budget and

economic outlook report.

WITHIN SIX

WEEKS OF

PRESIDENT’S

SUBMISSION

Other committees with budgetary

responsibilities submit “views and

estimates” to budget committees.

House Budget Committee

creates its budget resolution

and the House votes on it.

Senate Budget committee

creates its budget resolution

and the Senate votes on it.

EARLY

APRIL

Budget Conference Committee

reconciles House and Senate

versions of the budget resolution.

House votes on

conference version.

Senate votes on

conference version.

BY

APRIL

15TH

Start of the

fiscal year.

OCT

1ST

After both houses approve the budget resolution,

appropriations committees draft legislation authorizing

expenditures to the relevant agencies. Each appropriations

bill must be passed by both houses and signed into law by the

president. If this process is not completed by October 1st, and

no temporary measure (a “continuing resolution”) is in place,

the government will shut down.

THE BUDGET PROCESS

APPROPRIATIONS

Answers: 1.d; 2.c

When does each house of Congress vote on its

own version of a budget resolution?

a the first Monday in February

b February 15th

c within 6 weeks of receiving the president's

budget proposal

d early April

e October 1st

If the budget process is not completed by October

1st and no temporary measure is in place

a the president withdraws his proposal.

b both houses of Congress vote on the

conference version.

c the government shuts down.

d the start of the fiscal year is postponed

until January.

e the appropriations committees draft legislation.

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