For a comprehensive, concise, and up-to-date explanation of the budget process, see TRILLIONS: A Primer on the U.S. Debt Ceiling, Federal Spending, Taxes and Fiscal Law (Matthew Bender, release in summer 2023). The book, which is available for pre-order, covers the following topics:
- Overview of the $6.2 Trillion Federal Budget
- Foundational Concepts
[Appropriations, Authorizations, Baseline, Budget Authority v. Outlays, Discrertionary v. Direct (Mandatory) Spending, Entitlements, Budget Functions, Revenues, Receipts, and Fees] - President’s Budget Request to Congress
- Budget Act Launches Congressional Budget Process
[3-Tier Legislative Process, Budget Resolutions & Deeming Resolutions, Reconciliation & the Byrd Rule, Reserve Funds, Committee & Subcommittee Allocations, Points of Order] - Impoundment Control Act of 1974
- Appropriations and the Budget Process
[GAO “Red Book,” 4 characteristics of appropriations, Antideficiency Act and Government Shutdowns, Apportionment and Allotment, Enforcing the separation of appropriations and authorizations, appropriated entitlements, CHIMPs, CRs, Earmark disclosures, Omnibus, minibus, and cromnibus bills] - Revenues and the Budget Process
- 1985 Deficit Control Act Establishes Deficit Caps and “Sequestration”
- 1990 Budget Enforcement Act: Spending Caps and “PAYGO”
- 2010 Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act and the “PAYGO Cliff”
- 2011 Budget Control Act: Spending Caps and Mandatory Sequester
- Bipartisan Budget Acts (2013, 2015, 2018, 2019) Raise Spending Caps, Extend Sequesters
- Public Debt, the Statutory Limit, and Rising Interest Payments
- Unified Budget, Trust Funds, Off-Budget Entities, Budgetary Treatment of GSEs
- Supreme Court to Review the “Appropriations Clause” and CFPB Funding
- Additional Laws and Rules Governing the Budget Process
[Budget Scorekeeping Rules, Federal Credit Reform Act, GPRA, the Highway Funding Hybrid, OCO/GWOT, Unfunded Mandates] - Budget Controls After Expiration of the BCA
- Budget Process Reforms to Consider