Appropriations in the United States

Introduction to Appropriations

The Appropriations Act is a law that permits agencies to expend public funds, which must be passed by both Houses of Congress and signed by the President (or passed over the President’s veto) to take effect. Appropriations are required under Article I, Section 9 of the U.S. Constitution, which provides that “no money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in consequence of Appropriations made by Law.” Most appropriations acts are subdivided into specific amounts of funding (accounts) to be spent on set categories of activities over specified amounts of time, usually one or two years. A supplemental appropriation is one enacted in between annual cycles, often to meet specific additional emergency requirements unforeseen at the time regular appropriations measures were enacted.
For additional information on Appropriations in the congressional and executive budget processes, see under Forms of Budget Authority under Budget Authority (and in the GAO office). See also the information on the Federal Budget process and function here and below.

The Appropriation Account is the basic unit of an appropriations act, generally reflecting each unnumbered paragraph in the act. Congress appropriates funds to specific accounts, typically for certain programs, projects, and activities.

Finding the law: Appropriations in the U.S. Code

A collection of general and permanent laws relating to appropriations, passed by the United States Congress, are organized by subject matter arrangements in the United States Code (U.S.C.; this label examines appropriations topics), to make them easy to use (usually, organized by legal areas into Titles, Chapters and Sections). The platform provides introductory material to the U.S. Code, and cross references to case law. View the U.S. Code’s table of contents here.

Appropriations in the Federal Budget Process

Meaning of Appropriations in the congressional and executive budget processes (GAO source): Budget authority to incur obligations and to make payments from the Treasury for specified purposes. An appropriation act is the most common means of providing appropriations; however, authorizing and other legislation itself may provide appropriations. (See also Backdoor Authority/Backdoor Spending.)Appropriations do not represent cash actually set aside in the Treasury for purposes specified in the appropriation act; they represent amounts that agencies may obligate during the period of time specified in the respective appropriation acts. An appropriation may make funds available from the general fund, special funds, or trust funds.

Certain types of appropriations are not counted as budget authority because they do not provide authority to incur obligations. Among these are appropriations to liquidate contract authority (legislation to provide funds to pay obligations incurred against contract authority), to redeem outstanding debt (legislation to provide funds for debt retirement), and to refund receipts. Sometimes appropriations are contingent upon the occurrence of some other action specified in the appropriation law, such as the enactment of a subsequent authorization or the fulfillment of some action by the executive branch. (See also Appropriation Act; Discretionary; Expired Budget Authority under Availability for New Obligations under Budget Authority; Mandatory.)

Appropriations in the Legislative Process

Legislative assignment of money to a particular use. The appropriation of government funding to particular programs is one of Congress’s most important functions; the House and Senate Appropriations Committees are thus among the most powerful in Congress.

Guide to U.S. Federal Forms of Budget Authority (Budget Process)

Forms of Budget Authority
Appropriations
Borrowing Authority
Contract Authority
Offsetting Receipts and Collections

Appropriations

In Legislation

Appropriations in the U.S. Code: Title 31, Subtitle II, Chapter 13

The current, permanent, in-force federal laws regulating appropriations are compiled in the United States Code under Title 31, Subtitle II, Chapter 13. It constitutes “prima facie” evidence of statutes relating to Finance (including appropriations) of the United States. The reader can further narrow his/her legal research of the general topic (in this case, Budget and Money and Public Finance and Appropriations of the US Code, including appropriations) by chapter and subchapter.

Appropriations

In Legislation

Appropriations in the U.S. Code: Title 20, Chapter 31, Subchapter II, Part 1

The current, permanent, in-force federal laws regulating appropriations are compiled in the United States Code under Title 20, Chapter 31, Subchapter II, Part 1. It constitutes “prima facie” evidence of statutes relating to Education (including appropriations) of the United States. The readers can further narrow their legal research on the topic by chapter and subchapter.

Appropriations

Appropriations in the United States

Introduction to Appropriations

Finding the law: Appropriations in the U.S. Code

Appropriations in the Federal Budget Process

Appropriations in the Legislative Process

Guide to U.S. Federal Forms of Budget Authority (Budget Process)

Appropriations

In Legislation

Appropriations in the U.S. Code: Title 31, Subtitle II, Chapter 13

Appropriations

In Legislation

Appropriations in the U.S. Code: Title 20, Chapter 31, Subchapter II, Part 1

Resources

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