The President’s Budget Submission. The President submits a comprehensive budget request to Congress in early February which outlines the Administration’s policy and funding priorities and the economic outlook for the coming fiscal year. This budget, which estimates spending, revenue and borrowing levels, is compiled by OMB from input by the various federal agencies, with funding broken down into 20 budget function categories.

Adoption of the Budget Resolution. House and Senate Committees hold hearings on the President’s budget and the Budget Committees report a concurrent resolution on the budget that sets each committee’s allocation of spending authority for the next fiscal year and aggregate spending and revenue levels for 5 years. The budget resolution also establishes aggregate totals with respect to revenues and spending for the entire federal budget. This resolution, once adopted, is not law, as it is not signed by the President. The allocations, enforceable through points of order, establish the framework to consider spending and revenue bills on the House and Senate floor.

Passage of Appropriation Bills. In May the House begins consideration of the 13 annual appropriation bills for the next fiscal year based on the discretionary spending allocation in the budget resolution. As these bills move through hearings, markups, Floor consideration, and conference they are constrained by the levels and allocations in the budget resolution and the enforcement of the Budget Act and through House and Senate rules.

Consideration of Reconciliation Legislation. If the spending and revenue levels in the budget resolution require changes in existing law, the resolution would contain instructions to committees to report legislation containing such statutory changes. Whether for tax increases or decreases, deficit reduction, mandatory spending increases or decreases or adjustments in the public debt limit, this process has been used to focus many agents on one goal, often in a large bill.

Consideration of Authorization Legislation. Congress considers numerous measures authorizing the appropriation of funds on a myriad of programs each fiscal year. This decision-making process is constrained by the Budget Act and through House and Senate rules.

On or Before:	Action to be completed:
First Monday in February	President submits his budget.
February 15	Congressional Budget Office submits report to Budget Committees.
Not later than 6 weeks after the President submits the budget.	Committees submit views and estimates to Budget Committees. (Frequently, the House Budget Committee sets own date based on Legislative Calendar)
April 1	Senate Budget Committee reports concurrent resolution on the budget.
April 15	Congress completes action on the concurrent resolution on the budget. (This is not signed by the President).*
May 15	Annual appropriation bills may be considered in House.
June 10	House Appropriations Committee reports last annual appropriation bill.
June 15	Congress completes action on reconciliation legislation. (If required by the budget resolution).
June 30	House completes action on annual appropriation bills.
October 1	Fiscal year begins.

***For more information on the budget process see www.house.gov/rules/ or contact the Rules or Budget Committees.

Key Parliamentary Terms

Budget Authority - Authority provided by law to enter into obligations that normally result in the outlay of funds. The main forms of budget authority are appropriations, borrowing authority, and contract authority. Budget authority may be classified by the period of availability (one year, multiyear, or no year), by the timing of congressional action (current or permanent), or by the specificity of the amount available.

Budget Outlay - Payments made (generally through the issuance of checks or disbursement of cash) to liquidate obligations. Outlays during a fiscal year may be for payment of obligations incurred in prior years or in the same year.

Committee Allocation - The distribution of new budget authority and outlays to House and Senate committees. The allocation, which may not exceed the relevant amounts in the budget resolution, usually is made in the joint explanatory statement that accompanies the conference report on the budget resolution.