Budget Authority in the United States
Budget Authority in the Federal Budget Process
Meaning of Budget Authority in the congressional and executive budget processes (GAO source): Authority provided by federal law to enter into financial obligations that will result in immediate or future outlays involving federal government funds. The basic forms of budget authority include (1) appropriations, (2) borrowing authority, (3) contract authority, and (4) authority to obligate and expend offsetting receipts and collections. Budget authority includes the credit subsidy cost for direct loan and loan guarantee programs, but does not include the underlying authority to insure or guarantee the repayment of indebtedness incurred by another person or government.
More Details
Budget authority may be classified by its duration (1-year, multiple-year, or no-year), by the timing provided in the legislation (current or permanent), by the manner of determining the amount available (definite or indefinite), or by its availability for new obligations. (See also Current Level Estimate; Credit Subsidy Cost, Direct Loan, and Guaranteed Loan under Federal Credit; Offsetting Collections under Collections.)
Resources
See Also
- Federal Appropriations
- Entries about the United States Budget Process in the Encyclopedia (including Budget Authority)
- Public Debt
Further Reading
- Legislatures and the budget process: the myth of fiscal control
(J Wehner, 2010)
- Reconcilable Differences?: Congress, the Budget Process, and the Deficit (JB Gilmour, 1990)
- Fiscal institutions and fiscal performance
(JM Poterba, J von Hagen, 2008)
Expired Budget Authority in the Federal Budget Process
Meaning of Expired Budget Authority in the congressional and executive budget processes (GAO source): Budget authority that is no longer available to incur new obligations but is available for an additional 5 fiscal years for disbursement of obligations properly incurred during the budget authority’s period of availability. Unobligated balances of expired budget authority remain available for 5 years to cover legitimate obligation adjustments or for obligations properly incurred during the budget authority’s period of availability that the agency failed to record. (See 31 U.S.C. §§ 1552(a), 1553(a).) (See also Expired Account; Unobligated Balance under Obligational Authority; Warrant.)
Guide to U.S. Federal Availability for New Budget Obligations (Budget Process)
- Availability for New Budget Obligations
- Expired Budget Authority
- Unexpired Budget Authority
Resources
See Also
- Federal Appropriations
- Entries about the United States Budget Process in the Encyclopedia (including Expired Budget Authority)
- Public Debt
Further Reading
- Legislatures and the budget process: the myth of fiscal control
(J Wehner, 2010)
- Reconcilable Differences?: Congress, the Budget Process, and the Deficit (JB Gilmour, 1990)
- Fiscal institutions and fiscal performance
(JM Poterba, J von Hagen, 2008)
Unexpired Budget Authority in the Federal Budget Process
Meaning of Unexpired Budget Authority in the congressional and executive budget processes (GAO source): Budget authority that is available for incurring new obligations.
Guide to U.S. Federal Availability for New Budget Obligations (Budget Process)
- Availability for New Budget Obligations
- Expired Budget Authority
- Unexpired Budget Authority
Resources
See Also
- Federal Appropriations
- Entries about the United States Budget Process in the Encyclopedia (including Unexpired Budget Authority)
- Public Debt
Further Reading
- Legislatures and the budget process: the myth of fiscal control
(J Wehner, 2010)
- Reconcilable Differences?: Congress, the Budget Process, and the Deficit (JB Gilmour, 1990)
- Fiscal institutions and fiscal performance
(JM Poterba, J von Hagen, 2008)
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