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Reauthorization
of the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) |
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How the Budget Resolution Moves through Congress
Congressional Budget Resolution: sets overall limits on spending & tax cuts for each committee. The Budget Resolution is directions given to Congressional Committees on how much money they can spend that year. Caveats and Disclaimers: This is a simple summary. If you want an actual explanation of this - see: Introduction to the Federal Budget Process by M. Coven and R. Kogan of Center on Budget and Policy Priorites. Aug 1, 2003. February 7, 2005 - President submits his budget to Congress. The 2005-2006 Presidential Budget Request - basically the administration’s opinion on what the US spending and tax priorities should be. Mid February through mid-March, 2005 - The House and Senate Budget Committees (Congress) begin to hold hearings to question the President’s Cabinet about their department’s2 monetary needs for the coming year. The Budget Committees in each house vote on their respective budgets. Only a simple majority is needed. It is then sent to the floor. Late March/Early April, 2005 - The House and Senate Budget Committees finish drafting the 2005 - 2006 House Budget Resolution and the 2005 -2006 Senate Budget Resolution. Both the House and the Senate each bring their Budget to their house for a vote. It takes only a majority vote to pass the Budget Resolutions. Mid April/Early May, 2005 - The House & Senate Budget Conference resolves differences between the House and Senate Budget Resolutions. Within the Conference Committee changes and compromises can be made on reconciliation instructions. (for example: if the House wanted 500 billion for Homeland Security and the Senate may have wanted 490 billion for Homeland Security - they need to find a compromise). The Committee creates a Conference Report, which must be past by a simple majority. Early to mid May, 2005 - The Conference Report goes to each house for a vote. It can be filibustered, although that is unlikely. It can be discussed and debated, but cannot be amended or changed. Only 51 votes are needed to pass it. As soon as it is passes, it becomes our US spending framework for the 2006 budget year. For the last three years, Congress has not been able to pass a budget resolution. We have a very large deficit because tax cuts have reduced revenue, and enormous spending on the Iraq war has only made matters worse. Conservatives would like the deficit to be lessened by cutting domestic programs. If a budget resolution passes, all domestic programs will take cuts. We need to join together with all others who care about any domestic programs to: STOP THE BUDGET RESOLUTION 1
On or before the first Monday in February. |
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