What’s the difference: budget v spending bill?
A budget resolution and an appropriations (“spending”) bill are not the same type of legislation, although they are commonly confused. This is because some colloquially refer to enacting appropriations as enacting a budget; in fact, they are two distinct parts of the federal budget and spending process. The budget resolution should precede spending bills.
When talking about the “budget,” consider this a
roadmap for all spending for the fiscal year. When talking about “appropriations,” consider this
actual authority for discretionary spending for the fiscal year.
Appropriations make up part of the total budget for the year. Other parts of the budget include autopilot (or “mandatory”) spending and interest payments.
What’s a budres?
- A priority-setting resolution that must be passed by the House and the Senate but does not get signed into law by POTUS; it is “adopted” not “enacted.”
- Sets the topline spending levels for the coming fiscal year, includes policy options to get there, and may unlock reconciliation.
- Considers the whole of the federal fiscal picture (revenues, all spending, interest).
Under the jurisdiction of the House & Senate Budget Committees
What’s an approps bill?
- Actual spending bills that set out specific spending levels for individual programs, offices, and agencies within the federal government; must be “enacted” into law.
- Abides by the topline spending level for discretionary spending set by the budget resolution or a substituted agreement.
- Should be 12 separate bills under regular order, each considering a separate category of discretionary spending.
Under the jurisdiction of the House & Senate Appropriations Committees
Does the order matter?
If the Congressional budget process were to be followed properly, adoption of a budget resolution would proceed consideration of 12 separate appropriations bills.
The budget resolution provides topline spending levels for every committee, including for the Appropriations Committee. The Appropriations Committee’s topline covers all discretionary spending for the year. The topline levels provided in the budget resolution are called 302(a) allocations. Appropriators write their 12 bills to add up to the set 302(a) allocation.
If the budget resolution is not adopted in time, then an agreement or deal is typically made for the discretionary spending topline. Appropriators then write to that level, potentially adjusting if they had to start their work before they had a 302(a) to which to write.
