Budget Bulletins
The Complex Case of Pell Grant Budgeting
The Pell Grant program is the largest single source of grant aid to postsecondary students, with federal spending on the program totaling $30.6 billion in fiscal year 2018. This needbased program also has one of the most complex funding structures in the federal budget, involving a mix of discretionary funding and two separate mandatory spending streams. READ MORE… Continue Reading
08.02.18
Appropriations with Expired Authorizations
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) recently updated its annual Expired and Expiring Authorizations of Appropriations report to reflect enactment of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018. The updated report shows that of the $1.4 trillion in discretionary spending provided for 2018, $318 billion was spent on 1,035 agencies, programs, and functions with expired authorizations of appropriations from 261 different laws. View the August 2 Budget Bulletin online here.… Continue Reading
07.18.18
Cap Adjustments: How the Government Raises Its Spending Limit
The 2011 Budget Control Act (BCA) allows for several cap adjustments to increase spending for specified purposes without triggering a breach of statutory spending limits. These adjustments, which have grown in number in successive spending deals, have supported a staggering $890 billion in discretionary spending beyond the BCA's base caps. View the July 18 Budget Bulletin online here.… Continue Reading
06.28.18
Changes in Mandatory Programs: An Overspending Tool
The last decade brought a dramatic rise in the use of changes in mandatory programs, or CHIMPs, in annual appropriations bills. View the June 28 Budget Bulletin online here.… Continue Reading
06.07.18
Spending Caps and the New Fiscal Cliff
The two-year bipartisan budget law enacted in February significantly increased discretionary spending levels through fiscal year 2019, setting up a $126 billion spending cliff for 2020.… Continue Reading
06.07.17
President’s FY 18 Budget: Economic Growth Policies
WASHINGTON, DC - The Senate Budget Committee today released the third in a series of analyses of the President's FY 2018 Budget submission. The June 7, 2017, Budget Bulletin is focused on Economic Growth Policies as part of the President's fiscal year 2018 Budget request. The Budget Bulletin provides regular expert articles by Senate Budget Committee analysts on the issues before Congress relating to the budget, deficits, debt, and the economy. Read the full Senate Budget Bulletin here. Excerp… Continue Reading
05.24.17
President’s FY 18 Budget - Mandatory Spending Proposals
WASHINGTON, DC - The Senate Budget Committee today released the second in a series of analyses of the President's FY 2018 Budget submission. The May 24, 2017, Budget Bulletin is focused on Mandatory Spending Proposals as part of the President's fiscal year 2018 Budget request. The Budget Bulletin provides regular expert articles by Senate Budget Committee analysts on the issues before Congress relating to the budget, deficits, debt, and the economy. Read the full Senate Budget Bulletin here. E… Continue Reading
05.23.17
The President’s Fiscal Year 2018 Budget Proposal Overview
WASHINGTON, DC - The Senate Budget Committee today released its first in a series of analyses of the President's FY 2018 Budget submission. The May 23, 2017, Budget Bulletin is focused on an overview of the President's fiscal year 2018 Budget Proposal. The Budget Bulletin provides regular expert articles by Senate Budget Committee analysts on the issues before Congress relating to the budget, deficits, debt, and the economy. Read the full Senate Budget Bulletin here. Excerpts follow: Overview… Continue Reading
05.18.17
America’s Economic Growth Triggers
WASHINGTON, DC - The Senate Budget Committee today released its May 18, 2017, Budget Bulletin focused on America's Economic Growth Triggers. The Budget Bulletin provides regular expert articles by Senate Budget Committee analysts on the issues before Congress relating to the budget, deficits, debt, and the economy. Read the full Senate Budget Bulletin here. Excerpts follow: The federal government is currently focused on boosting American economic growth with new policies that encourage privat… Continue Reading
03.09.17
Debt Limit Extraordinary Measures
WASHINGTON, DC - The Senate Budget Committee today released its March 9, 2017, Budget Bulletin focused on the "extraordinary measures" and financial tools developed by Department of Treasury and used to pay the nation's bills while the federal government considers raising the debt limit. The Budget Bulletin provides regular expert articles by Senate Budget Committee analysts on the issues before Congress relating to the budget, deficits, debt, and the economy. Read the full Senate Budget Bullet… Continue Reading
11.17.16
Regulatory Reform Outlook
WASHINGTON, DC - The Senate Budget Committee today released its November 17, 2016, Budget Bulletin focused on the outlook for Regulatory Reform. The Budget Bulletin provides regular expert articles by Senate Budget Committee analysts on the issues before Congress relating to the budget, deficits, debt, and the economy. Read the full Senate Budget Bulletin here. Excerpts follow: The rising cost to the economy of federal regulation is alarming. Private sector experts now estimate new federal ru… Continue Reading
10.20.16
FY 2017 Continuing Resolution
WASHINGTON, DC - The Senate Budget Committee today released its October 20, 2016, Budget Bulletin focused on the FY 2017 Continuing Resolution. The Budget Bulletin provides regular expert articles by Senate Budget Committee analysts on the issues before Congress relating to the budget, deficits, debt, and the economy. This Bulletin contains an in-depth look at the FY 2017 appropriations process to date. It details what was accomplished under regular order, how the Appropriations Committee gen… Continue Reading
09.15.16
Accounting for Federal Credit Programs
WASHINGTON, DC - The Senate Budget Committee today released its September 15, 2016, Budget Bulletin focused on Accounting for Federal Credit Programs. The Budget Bulletin provides regular expert articles by Senate Budget Committee analysts on the issues before Congress relating to the budget, deficits, debt, and the economy. During a recent Committee hearing, Congressional Budget Office (CBO) Director Keith Hall noted the agency's long-held view that fair value scoring provides a more comprehen… Continue Reading
07.14.16
Budget Perspectives for Fannie and Freddie
WASHINGTON, DC - The Senate Budget Committee today released its July 14, 2016, Budget Bulletin focused on Budget Perspectives for Fannie and Freddie. The Budget Bulletin provides regular expert articles by Senate Budget Committee analysts on the issues before Congress relating to the budget, deficits, debt, and the economy. Read the full Senate Budget Bulletin here. Excerpts follow: Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which play a key role in the U.S. housing-finance system, have been in conservators… Continue Reading
06.30.16
Emergency Spending Designations
WASHINGTON, DC - The Senate Budget Committee today released its June 30, 2016, Budget Bulletin focused on the use of Emergency Spending Designations. The Budget Bulletin provides regular expert articles by Senate Budget Committee analysts on the issues before Congress relating to the budget, deficits, debt, and the economy. Read the full Senate Budget Bulletin here. Excerpts follow: There are currently three separate emergency designations available to senators for budget enforcement purposes… Continue Reading
06.16.16
Options to Fix the Broken Federal Budget Process
Read the full Senate Budget Bulletin here.… Continue Reading
05.12.16
Overview of Senate Budget Process Reform Proposals
Read the full Senate Budget Bulletin here.… Continue Reading
04.28.16
Senate Considers Fixes to America’s Broken Budget Process
WASHINGTON, DC - The Senate Budget Committee today released its April 28, 2016, Budget Bulletin focused on fixes to the broken budget process. The Budget Bulletin provides regular expert articles by Senate Budget Committee analysts on the issues before Congress relating to the budget, deficits, debt, and the economy. Excerpts follow: The Problem: Broken Budgets and Out-of-Control Spending In theory, the annual budget process begins on the first Monday in February with submission of the presid… Continue Reading
04.12.16
Establishing an FY17 Senate Budget Framework
WASHINGTON, DC - The Senate Budget Committee today released its April 12, 2016, Budget Bulletin focused on establishing a fiscal year 2017 Senate Budget framework. The Budget Bulletin provides regular expert articles by Senate Budget Committee analysts on the issues before Congress relating to the budget, deficits, debt, and the economy. Read the full Senate Budget Bulletin here. Excerpts follow: Producing a Senate Budget Framework The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 (BBA-15, P.L. 114-74) requ… Continue Reading
02.24.16
President’s FY 2017 Budget – Budget Process Proposals
WASHINGTON, DC - The Senate Budget Committee today released its seventh and final analysis on the President's FY 2017 Budget submission. The February 24, 2016, Budget Bulletin is focused on the fiscal blueprint's budget process proposals. The Budget Bulletin provides regular expert articles by Senate Budget Committee analysts on the issues before Congress relating to the budget, deficits, debt, and the economy. Read the full Senate Budget Bulletin here. Excerpts follow: In addition to funding… Continue Reading
