Budget and appropriations is perhaps the most complex and oftentimes confusing process in Congress. One of the most useful tools to help illustrate the process is a timeline detailing various congressional actions. Below is a general timeline of federal budget actions. Obviously, these are the preferred deadlines and not always met by Congress. Special thanks to Scott Cox of Gallery Watch and Stanley E. Collender from the Office of Management and Budget for the outline and background information used in this Update.
FEBRUARY 5, 2007. The President’s budget is submitted the first Monday in February. We expect to see President Bush’s FY 2008 budget request on February 5th.
FEBRUARY 15, 2007. The Congressional Budget Office submits its report on projected spending for FY 2008.
Six weeks after the President's budget is submitted, various committees develop their own responses to the budget. House and Senate committees hold hearings on the President’s budget and gather testimony from officials, stakeholders, and other experts.
The House and Senate Budget Committees develop their own respective Budget Resolutions. This is critical because the Budget Resolution sets the ceiling on spending levels for specific areas of the government.
The House will vote on the Budget Committee’s proposed Budget Resolution (usually about 1 week after it is submitted).
APRIL 1, 2007. Deadline for Senate Budget Committee to report its Budget Resolution. The full Senate acts on budget resolution roughly 1 week thereafter.
APRIL 1-15, 2007. The leaders of the House and Senate appoint members, known as “conferees”, to serve on the Conference Committee. This committee will try to work out the differences between the approved House and Senate Budget Resolutions creating a Conference Report.
APRIL 15, 2007. Congress completes action on concurrent resolution on the budget.
APRIL 15 – MAY 2007. Congress sends the compromise Budget Resolution to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees.
Authorizing committees develop reconciliation legislation and report it to Budget Committees. Reconciliation instructions direct certain committees to make cuts to entitlement programs or change tax laws to reach specific spending and revenue goals. Limited to 20 hours of debate, Representatives and Senators do have the opportunity to offer amendments to the resolution, including amendments to change or delete reconciliation instructions.
Another Conference Committee, also made up of members of both the House and Senate, then meets to resolve any differences between the House and Senate Reconciliation Bills.
The final report is then voted on by the Committee and then sent back to the House and the Senate floors for a final vote. Once the Conference Report goes to the floor, amendments can no longer be made.
MAY 15, 2007. The House may begin to consider annual appropriations bills, even if there is not yet a completed budget resolution.
The House and Senate subcommittees 'markup' appropriation bills: Based on the budget resolution, the Appropriation Committee of each chamber sets allocations for each of its subcommittees.
JUNE 10, 2007. House Appropriations Committee reports the last of its annual appropriations bills.
JUNE 15, 2007. Congress should have completed action on reconciliation legislation.
JUNE 30, 2007. House completes action on all of its appropriations bills.
JULY 1- SEPTEMBER 30, 2007. Senate completes action on Senate appropriations bills.
House-Senate conferees complete action on Appropriations Conference Reports for final votes in House and Senate.
OCTOBER 1, 2007. New fiscal year begins.
Day Al-Mohamed
Director of Advocacy and Governmental Affairs
American Council of the Blind
1155 15th St. NW
Washington DC 20005
Tel. 202-467-5081
dalmohamed@acb.org