How is a budget resolution enforced? Q.How is a budget resolution enforced? A.Spending and revenue targets set in the annual budget resolution are enforced by points of order, which any member of Congress may raise against legislation inconsistent with those targets. Read more about How is a budget resolution enforced?
How does the federal budget process work? Q.How does the budget process work? A.Ideally, following submission of the president’s budget proposal, Congress passes a concurrent budget resolution setting total spending, revenue, and deficit targets for at least the next five years, and then passes annual appropriation bills to fund discretionary programs and legislation to enact any changes to mandatory programs and taxes. The process has typically broken down at various points in recent years, however, with Congress failing to pass a concurrent resolution or not completing timely action on appropriations. Read more about How does the federal budget process work?
What is the debt limit? Q.What is the debt limit? A.The debt limit—or the “debt ceiling”—is the legal maximum on how much debt the federal government can accumulate. Read more about What is the debt limit?