Federal Budget

The federal budget process can have a tremendous impact on vital programs that make our State and our municipalities strong and stable. Staying aware of the impacts of the Fiscal Year 2021 budget and working with your League and Federal representatives to respond to the proposals and can ensure the best possible outcome for municipalities.

The fiscal year is the accounting period for the federal government, beginning Oct. 1 and ending on Sept. 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2019 begins on October 1, 2018, and ends on Sept. 30, 2019. 

Appropriations

Congress passes appropriations legislation to fund the government for every fiscal year. Appropriations acts are characteristically annual and generally provide funding authority that expires at the end of the federal fiscal year, September 30. 

The House and Senate Committees on Appropriations have jurisdiction over the annual appropriations measures. Each committee is organized into subcommittees, with each subcommittee having responsibility for developing one regular annual appropriations bill to provide funding for departments and activities within its jurisdiction.  Each House appropriations subcommittee is paired with a Senate appropriations subcommittee and the two subcommittees’ jurisdictions are generally identical. 

The current appropriations subcommittee structure includes the following 12 subcommittees 

1. Agriculture, Rural Development, Food & Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
2. Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
3. Defense
4. Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies
5. Financial Services and General Government
6. Homeland Security
7. Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
8. Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies 
9. Legislative Branch 
10. Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies
11. State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs
12. Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies

These appropriations can be found and tracked at the Congress.gov website.
For a full rundown, please review The Congressional Appropriations Process

News & Updates

Federal FY2020 Budget: U.S. Department of Transportation. The House makes progress on Infrastructure, including $86.6 billion in total budgetary resources for the Federal Department of Transportation (DOT)–$167 million above the 2019 enacted level and $3.7 billion above the President’s budget request. 

The Budget and Economic Outlook 2020 to 2030 from the Congressional Budget Office

An Analysis of the President’s 2020 Budget. The Congressional Budget Office’s summary and analysis of the 2020 Budget.

A Budget for a Better America. Fiscal Year 2020 Budget of the U.S. Government.

A Budget for America’s Future, Fiscal Year 2021 Budget of the U.S. Government