United States Federal Budget Process

Budgeting for the federal government is an enormously complex process. It entails dozens of sub-processes, countless rules and procedures, the efforts of tens of thousands of staff persons in the executive and legislative branches, millions of work hours each year and the active participation of the President and congressional leaders, as well as other Members of Congress and executive officials. This book examines the points of order in the congressional budget process; baselines and scorekeeping; allocations and subdivisions; entitlements and appropriated entitlements; basic federal budgeting terminology; federal budget process reform in the 111th Congress; and, FY2011 budget proposals and projections.