Course Final: Congress & Budget Politics Flashcards
Know where budget bills originate, per the Constitution. Know who actually makes the opening move (sets the agenda) in the modern budget process, and who makes the last move on a budget/appropriations bill.
-Budget bill originate from the House of Representatives. President makes the opening move by submitting budget proposal to congress; this bill is reviewed by both houses in 12 subcommittees that submit 12 separate appropriations bills and both eventually come to a budget resolution, though this can end up in conference committee if they cannot agree. The final move is made by the president who signs the budget into law.
Be able to briefly summarize the arguments for giving president’s line-item veto authority over budget bills, and what the reaction of the Supreme Court has been to such authority.
- For: to get rid of earmarks. If president vetoes something reps can still credit claim to constituency
- Against: Constitution prohibits it because it eliminate gov checks and balances. supreme court said so.
On the revenue side, be able to briefly describe the two main options Congress has for funding appropriations.
-taxation and borrowing funds through bonds and entitlements.
Be able to briefly explain the difference between mandatory and discretionary federal spending, and to give at least two examples of each. Also be able to state the largest category of discretionary spending.
- Mandatory: Entitlements- money they gov has obligated itself to pay. Medicare/Medicaid, social security, veterans benefits, federal pensions, etc
- Discretionary: determined by congress annually. Defense, education, environment protection, research, etc.
- Largest discretionary spending is Military spending by far, 55%
Be able to briefly explain how Congress can “cut” mandatory entitlement spending.
-change eligibility requirements or benefits in the original legislation.
Be able to define “debt” and “deficits” in terms of government spending (know the difference).
-deficits are the annual amount that expenditures exceed revenues. Debt is the outstanding balance on debt accrued.
Know the two-step process for a program to be created and funded by Congress.
1- Congress (re)authorizes program (via committees)
2-Appropriations committee decides how much funding to allocate to program.
Be able to briefly explain the annual budget process, including the ideal time frame for stages to be completed, and the purpose of “continuing resolutions” if final goals are missed.
- President submits budget February.
- in the spring, 12 appropriations subcommittee’s working on 12 different bills, concurrent resolution, how much they are planning to spend, worked out and passed by Oct 1st.
- Possible Continuing resolution if not done by then. They want to be finished and out by the holidays. Possible ways to do this is by packaging bills together into Omnibus bills.
Be able to briefly explain congressional incentives for particularistic (pork-barrel) spending and logrolling (IOW, why such spending is an ongoing problem).
-goal is narrow incentives for few (local constituency) that everyone pays for. “Narrow benefits and diffused costs”
This is an ongoing problem because of the election incentive. Its a good way to keep constituents happy with them.
Be able to define congressional “earmarks.”
-a congressional directive that funds should be spent on a specific project
be able to define “sequestration” in terms of federal spending.
-Automatic spending cuts if certain budget targets are not met. Use it to tie their hands.
Be able to make a coherent argument about how effective congressional efforts to make earmarks more transparent have been. Include specifics of congressional transparency legislation, and discuss ways MCs might be able to secure particularistic spending for their districts without going on record as having done so.
Efforts to make earmarks more transparent: law passed in 2007. Ties name of rep to earmark so public can see it.
-How MC’s get something without actually attaching earmark: have a federal agency to request it into the budget. Have Appropriations committee request it.
