Federal budget 101

PROCESS AND TIMELINE President’s Budget Request February Congressional Budget Resolution Early spring (passed by April 15) Appropriations Bills Spring/Summer (passed by October 1) President’s Signature or Veto By October 1

PRESIDENT’S BUDGET REQUEST On or before the first Monday in February, the President submits a budget request to Congress for the following fiscal year (beginning October 1). The budget request is developed by the President’s Office of Management and Budget with collaboration from other federal agencies. The budget request includes funding levels for federal agencies and the policy initiatives of the Administration. It also includes recommendations for tax and spending changes to impact revenue.

CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET RESOLUTION The House and Senate Budget Committees hold a series of hearings to formulate their budget resolution. The budget resolution does not become law or go to the President for signature. Its role is to set spending levels for broad budget categories and how much revenue the federal government will collect for the next 5 years. The budget resolution is supposed to be passed by April 15.

APPROPRIATIONS BILLS The spending levels set in the budget resolution are divided amongst the 12 appropriations subcommittees in the House and Senate to set discretionary spending levels. The 302 (a) allocations are spending limits for each congressional committee. The House and Senate Appropriations Committees each divide their 302 (a) allocation between the 12 subcommittees, known as 302 (b) sub- allocations. The subcommittees hold hearings to consider their 302 (b) sub- allocations and then vote them out to the full committee. This process is supposed to happen by October 1, the end of the fiscal year. However, it rarely happens on time, requiring a continuing resolution (CR) be passed to continue funding the federal government at current levels until appropriations bills are completed.

MANDATORY VS. DISCRETIONARY SPENDING MANDATORY SPENDING Covers entitlement programs which continue year after year and are not subject to annual appropriations debate. Funding is available for anyone eligible for the programs. Accounts for about 60 percent of the federal budget and includes programs such as SNAP, Medicaid, School Breakfast Program, National School Lunch Program, and the Summer Food Service Program. DISCRETIONARY SPENDING Discretionary spending must be approved by the Appropriations Committees each year. It accounts for about 40 percent of the total federal budget and includes programs such as WIC, Head Start, TEFAP, and education funding

ADVOCACY DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS While most of the federal child nutrition programs are funded through mandatory spending and therefore are not included in the appropriations process, it is still important to maintain strong advocacy support for these programs. Reach out to Appropriations Committee staff to highlight the importance of all federal child nutrition programs during the budget process. Identify opportunities for funding to strengthen child nutrition programs: Grants for innovative programs. Increased funding for discretionary programs that strengthen federal child nutrition programs. Invite staff and members to visit programs to see how the funding is impacting their communities.