Federal Budget Process: Challenges and Opportunities for Science

1. Federal Budget Process Its Challenges as well as its Opportunities prepared for Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory by Stephen M. Goldberg Special Assistant to the Director Argonne National Laboratory January 30, 2008

2. 2 Outline of Todays Lecture What is the Federal Budget? What is the Executive Branchs and Legislatives Branchs Budget Cycle Who are the Players? What are their responsibilities? Summary of the FY 2008 budget priorities The Nuts and Bolts of Budgeting super summary A Seat at the Table The ACI/Recent Appropriations RE: Science

3. 3 What is the Federal Budget? The United States federal budget is a federal document which outlines funding recommendations for the next fiscal year, which begins on October 1st. The U.S. Congress develops a budget resolution, based on recommendations from the President, and approves individual appropriations bills to allocate fundings to various federal programs recommended in the budget. Source: Wikipedia

4. 4 Other Terms Balanced Budget: A budget for which expenditures are equal to income . Scope of Budget: All three Branches Special Case: Government Supported Enterprises Unified Budget: Encompasses all of the money flowing into the Federal Government's coffers and all of the money flowing back out Budget Formulation: Executive Branch prepares the budget Congressional Budget Resolution: Spending and Revenue Plan Appropriations: Controls Spending and Receipts Execution: Obligating funds and, as result, producing outlays Anti-Deficiency: incurring of obligations or the making of expenditures (outlays) in excess of amounts available in appropriations or funds

5. 5 The Executive Budget Process Timetable Calendar Year Prior to the Year in which Fiscal Year Begins Date Activities Spring OMB issues planning guidance to executive agencies for the budget beginning October 1 of the following year. Spring and Summer Agencies begin development of budget requests. July OMB issues annual update to Circular A-11, providing detailed instructions for submitting budget data and material for agency budget requests. September Agencies submit initial budget requests to OMB. October-November OMB staff review agency budget requests in relation to Presidents priorities, program performance, and budget constraints. November-December President, based on recommendations by the OMB director, makes decisions on agency requests. OMB informs agencies of decisions, commonly referred to as OMB passback. December Agencies may appeal these decisions to the OMB director and in some cases directly to the President.

6. 6 Executive Branch Beginning of the Process Fiscal Policy Decisions NEC/OMB/CEA Development of Fiscal Targets Inputs: Projected Inflation, Unemployment, GDP Growth, etc. OMB Guidance to Agencies based on economic models - Spring (FY 2009) Agencies submit budget budget requests early September (FY 2009) Competition intense Presidential initiatives OMB review very hectic time passback Wednesday before Thanksgiving (FY 2009) Passback allowances to agencies equal or less than the request Appeals both agency and Presidential resolved by early January (FY 2009) Presidents budget request early February (FY 2009) many of the program funds are set Baseline vs. Policy two sets of budgets Budget Year (FY 2009) and Outyears (FY 2010 2013) (FY 2010 2018)

7. 7 The Executive Budget Process Timetable (contd.) Calendar Year in which Fiscal Year Begins Date Activities By first Monday in February President submits budget to Congress. February-September Congressional phase. Agencies interact with Congress, justifying and explaining Presidents budget. By July 15 President submits mid-session review to Congress. August 21 (or within 10 days after approval of a spending bill) Agencies submit apportionment requests to OMB for each budget account. September 10 (or within 30 days after approval of a spending bill) OMB apportions available funds to agencies by time period, program, project, or activity. October 1 Fiscal year begins.

8. 8 The Executive Budget Process Timetable (contd.) Calendar Years in which Fiscal Year Begins and Ends Date Activities October-September Agencies make allotments, obligate funds, conduct activities, and request supplemental appropriations, if necessary. President may propose supplemental appropriations and impoundments (i.e., deferrals or rescissions) to Congress. September 30 Fiscal year ends.

9. 9 The Congressional Budget Process: Timetable for Annual Action

10. 10 Overview of the Budget Process MAJOR STEPS IN THE CONGRESSIONAL PHASE What happens? When? Congressional Budget Office (CBO) reports to Budget Committees on the economic and budget outlook. January CBO reestimates the Presidents Budget based on their economic and technical assumptions. February Other committees submit views and estimates to House and Senate Budget Committees. Committees indicate their preferences regarding budgetary matters for which they are responsible. Within 6 weeks of budget transmittal The Congress completes action on the concurrent resolution on the budget. The Congress commits itself to broad spending and revenue levels by passing a budget resolution. April 15 The Congress needs to complete action on appropriations bills for the upcoming fiscal year or provides a continuing resolution (a stop-gap appropriation law). September 30

11. 11 Overview of the Budget Process (contd.) MAJOR STEPS IN THE EXECUTION PHASE What happens? When? Fiscal year begins. October 1 OMB apportions funds made available in the annual appropriations process and other available funds. Agencies submit apportionment requests to OMB for each budget account by August 21 or within 10 calendar days after the approval of the appropriation, whichever is later. OMB approves or modifies the apportionment specifying the amount of funds agencies may use by time period, program, project, or activity. September 10 (or within 30 days after approval of a spending bill) Agencies incur obligations and make outlays to carry out the funded programs, projects, and activities. Agencies hire people, enter into contracts, enter into grant agreements, etc., in order to carry out their programs, projects, and activities. Agencies record obligations and outlays pursuant to administrative control of funds procedures (see Appendix H), report to Treasury (see the Treasury Fiscal Requirements Manual and Section 130), and prepare financial statements. Throughout the fiscal year Fiscal year ends. September 30 Expired phase (no-year funds do not have an expired phase). Agencies disburse against obligated balances and adjust obligated balances to reflect actual obligations during the period of availability. Agencies continue to record obligations and outlays pursuant to administrative control of funds procedures, report to Treasury, and prepare financial statements. Until September 30, fifth year after funds expire

12. 12 Legislative Branch Middle of the Process Appropriations Under the Budget Act, CBO Does its own analysis sets targets (5 Years) Budget Targets are Established by Budget Committees for each Appropriation Subcommittee College of Cardinals Annual appropriations acts identify amount of new spending authority that each project, program, or activity will have each year includes earmarks Chairs and Ranking members have a disapportionate amount of influence Discretionary part of Budget is decided by appropriators Typically hearings are held and appropriation decisions are made in the Summer (FY 2009) Individual bills signed by September 30 (FY 2009)

13. 13 Legislative Branch Middle of the Process Authorizations Reconciliation Budget Committee provides instructions for legislation passed by the authorization committees Authorization Act can create mandatory spending Drug Benefit to Seniors Authorization committees hold hearings and mark-up bills Spring, Summer, Fall (FY 2009) Bills are Passed and Signed Into Law all within budget targets agreed to by both the Administration and the Congress

14. 14 End Game Authorizations, Appropriations, Both Branches During FY 2009 CRs as a prelude to an Omnibus, possibly Final Reconciliation Taxes, SS, Medicare, etc. Recissions Supplementals Reprogramming Debt Ceiling Limit Government Closures Apportionments

15. 15 Summary of the FY 2008 Budget Priorities FY 2008, 2009, ?) Keeping the Economy Strong Pro growth, pro growth, pro growth Spending $ Wisely Protect the Homeland and Strengthen National Security

16. 16 One Example of the Nuts and Bolts of Budgeting Role of OMB FY 2008 Request for the Office of Science about $4.4 Billion FY 2008 Request Needs to Fit Presidential Initiative Competitiveness FY 2008 Request Needs to Fit DOE Theme Transformational Science for Energy, Environment, and Americas Competitiveness Represents 7.2% increase over the FY 2007 Request and about 20% increase of FY 2006 enacted FY 2008 Enacted about $4 billion.

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18. 18 Budget Cycle Example As of April 2008: The FY 08 budget was being executed. Money is being obligated at a spend rate to meet the tappropriations from Dec. 2007, through September 2008. While spending the money, agencies were also dealing with Congress on suggested fine-tuning (reprogrammings) or requesting more money (supplemental appropriations). ACTUAL The FY09 budget was making its way through the Congressional process. THEORETICAL The FY10 budget was just getting under way. The Administration was deciding on the basics of the FY09 budget, and OMB was getting ready to issue initial budget targets to the agencies. VERY THEORETICAL

19. 19 A Seat at the Table Three Ingredients need all three: 1. Policy Driver high up in the power chain possible 2. Numbers have to work!! 3. Staff work has to be there timing is everything

20. 20 HEU Agreement Characteristics Government-to-Government Agreement for the Purchase of 500 metric tons of highly-enriched uranium from FSY dismantled nuclear weapons (1993- 2013) Negotiate a detailed implementing contract establishing annual prices and quantities How It Occurred Peace Dividend Existing Power Contracts No need of Congressional Action Off-Budget The Seat at the Table OMB had the numbers to set the road framework of the deal OMB was there for the final negotiations OMB was there for execution OMB was there for encouragement, cajoling, whatever it took. The Let Us Beat Swords into Plowshares statue at United Nations Headquarters, New York

21. 21 "Facial tissues such as Kleenex were originally created while attempting to develop better gas mask filter membranes."

22. 22 DPRK Agreement (October 21, 1994) Characteristics Agreement to curtail DPRK operations at their nuclear material production sites In return, KEDO (2000 MWe LWR), heavy oil, canning their spent fuel (i.e., store safely spent fuel from the 5 MWe Experimental Reactor at Yongbyon) Goal: Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula How It Occurred Secret negotiations The 5% Rule for the Heavy Oil The Seat at the Table Direct involvement of the OMB Director OMB having the numbers to make it work Encouragement, cajoling, etc

23. 23 Superconducting Super Collider Characteristics $10 billion project Ring particle accelerator which was planned to be built in the area around Waxahachie, Texas Ring circumference of 87 km (54 miles) and an energy of 20 TeV per beam, Potentially enough energy to create a Higgs boson, a particle predicted by the Standard Model, but not yet detected. Cost overruns (GAO and DOE IG Reports) How It Occurred In October 1993 Congress voted to discontinue funding for the Super Collider. SAPs were neutral to slightly positive Tone established during the Clinton Transition The Seat at the Table Direct involvement of the OMB Director and senior Clinton officials Unstable Funding Profile Closed set of players dominated by OMB

24. 24 SAP Letter Re: SSC THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON June 16, 1993 Dear Mr. Chairman: As your Committee considers the Energy and Water Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 1994, I want you to know of my continuing support for the Superconducting Super Collider (SSC). The most important benefits of the increased understanding gained from the SSC may not be known for a generation. We can, however, be certain that important benefits will result simply from making the effort. The SSC project will stimulate technologies in many areas critical for the health of the U.S. economy. The superconductor technologies developed for the project's magnets will stimulate production of a material that will be critical for ensuring the competitiveness of U.S. manufacturers, for improving medical care, and a variety of other purposes. The SSC will also produce critical employment and educational opportunities for thousands of young engineers and scientists around the country. Abandoning the SSC at this point would signal that the United States is compromising its position of leadership in basic science - a position unquestioned for generations. These are tough economic times, yet our Administration supports this project as a part of its broad investment package in science and technology. Our support requires making sure that the project is well managed and that the Congress is informed of the full costs and anticipated benefits of the program. The SSC previously had an unstable funding profile. The stretched-out funding proposed by our Administration of $640 million in FY 94 will allow better control of project costs. The full cost and scheduling implications of this stretch-out will be complete in the early fall, and will be examined carefully by the Administration at that time. I ask you to support this important and challenging effort. Sincerely, (Bill Clinton signature) The Honorable William H. Natcher Chairman Committee on Appropriations House of Representatives Washington, D.C. 20515

25. 25 25 Questions