National Association of Regional Councils

Federal Budget: Advocacy, Information and Updates

The federal budget is a complicated process between the Administration, Congress and interest groups. To keep you up-to-date on federal budget activities, the National Association of Regional Councils (NARC) has created this page to be a center for federal budget information – President’s Budget request, legislation, agency activities and resources, NARC resources and materials, and general news. Please contact Shannon Baxevanis at shannon@narc.org or 202.986.1032, x217 with questions or for more information.

Administration

On February 14, 2011, President Obama released his fiscal year 2012 budget request of $3.73 trillion (FY11 request was $3.834 trillion) Budget request for fiscal year 2012 that invests in education, job training, innovation, research and development (specifically in clean energy), and infrastructure, and looks to address fiscal issues through reductions and eliminations.

President’s FY 2012 Budget Request

White House Budget Page – Office of Management & Budget (OMB)

NARC Overview of the Request

NARC Summary of Agency Details

National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform

NARC Summary of Commission Report

Congress

On Saturday, February 19, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1, which would fund the government through September 30, 2011. The spending levels under the bill would be based on FY10 levels, less eliminations, reductions and rescissions totaling roughly $61.5 billion. The measure would provide $99.6 billion less than President Obama requested for FY11. The current continuing resolution (CR) expires on March 4. The bill now heads to the Senate.

H.R. 1, Continuing Resolution (passed by House on 2/19/11)

H.R. 1 Passed Amendments Important to NARC Members

NARC H.R. 1 Talking Points for Local Elected Officials & Members:

National Association of Counties (NACo) Letters on Budget Cuts

NARC Letter to Congressional Leaders on Long-term Funding

National Fusion Center Association Letter Opposing H.R. 1 UASI Change

Democrats' View on How H.R. 1 will Impact Each State - interactive; includes facts and figures

Where the $100B Comes from in H.R. 1 - CQ information

House Minority Leader Pelosi’s Short-Term Funding Measure

Short-term Continuing Resolution Extension
House Resolution 44 has been signed into law by the President to keep the government funded until March 18. This gives Congress a two week window to negotiate a longer continuing resolution effort. This extension includes $4B in cuts - $1.2B from Obama's FY12 budget request, as well as $2.7B from FY10 earmarks. Click HERE to access a full list of cuts. Click HERE to access the bill text.

SAFETEA-LU Long-term Extension
HR 662, the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2011, would extend through September 30, 2011, the surface transportation programs originally authorized by SAFETEA-LU. This bill passed favorably out of Congress and was signed by the President on March 4, 2011. Many groups, including NARC have sent letters supporting this effort. Click HERE to access NARC's letter to Congressional leaders.

Balanced Budget Debate

Freshman Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) offered a Sense of the Senate Amendment to the Patent Reform Act of 2011 (S.23) testing the waters on the idea of a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution (Senate Amendment 115). The Amendment states, “It is the sense of the Senate that Congress should pass and the States should agree to an amendment to the Constitution requiring a Federal balanced budget.” This effort was blocked, but Senator Lee has another version of the balanced budget amendment as contained in S. J. Res. 5. Section 2 of the Lee Constitutional Amendment would provide a spending cap of 18 percent: “Total outlays shall not exceed 18 percent of the gross domestic product of the United States for the calendar year ending prior to the beginning of such fiscal year.” This would add a spending cap so that the budget could not be balanced at a higher level of spending than traditionally maintained over the history of the United States. This amendment to the Constitution would provide for supermajority votes to breach different provisions. Legislation would be subject to a two-thirds vote if it caused total outlays to exceed total receipts for that fiscal year; caused total outlays to exceed 18 percent of the GDP of the United States; created a new tax (or increased taxes); or effected an increase in the debt limit.

Senate Unveils Continuing Resolution

On March 4, the Senate Appropriations Committee released its highlights and text of its Continuing Resolution (Senate Amendment 149) to keep the government funded through September 30, 2011. The Senate Democrats are proposing to reduce $51 billion in spending below the President's FY11 request; H.R. 1 includes nearly $100 billion in cuts. Click HERE to access the Senate Appropriations Committee press release on the effort. Click HERE to view the bill amendment text from the Committee. NARC will be conducting a thorough review of the Senate plan as it relates to the H.R. 1.

NARC comparison of H.R. 1 vs. Senate Amendment 149 vs. President's FY12 Budget

Senate Takes Votes on Long-Term Continuning Resolution
On March 9, the Senate took votes on both H.R. 1 (votes - 44-56) and Senate Amendment 149 (votes - 42-58). Both efforts failed in the Senate. Now Congress and the Administration must work out a long-term negotiation, while examining short-term extension options. The current short-term extension expires on March 18.

Republican Votes against H.R. 1 - DeMint (SC), Lee (UT) and Paul (KY)
Democrat Votes against SAmdt 149 - Bennet (CO), Hagan (NC), Kohl (WI), Levin (MI), Manchin (WV), McCaskill (MO), Nelson (NE), Nelson (FL), Udall (CO), Webb (VA) and Sanders (VT)

House and Senate Pass Short-Term Continuing Resolution - The House and Senate have both passe another short-term continuing resolution, HJ Res 48, which covers three weeks of government operations (until April 8), and cuts about $6 billion in spending - $2.7 billion from earmarks and eliminating or reducing 25 government programs, many which President Obama targeted in his FY12 budget request. Click HERE for a chart of the cuts and eliminations. The President is expected to sign it by Friday, March 18, when the current short-term continuing resolution expires.

CR Ends April 8; Congress Working on Next Steps - The current continuing resolution (CR) expires this Friday, April 8. Another spending measure must be enacted to prevent a government shutdown. On Monday, House Republicans introduced HR 1363, a one-week CR with $12 billion in cuts, which President Obama and many Senate Democrats are unlikely to move forward. Today, President Obama and Congressional leaders met to discuss continued funding for government programs and operations. During the meeting, President Obama stated that there is “no excuse to extend this further,” urging congressional leaders to compromise on a bill to fund the government for the final six months of fiscal 2011.

Educate your Congressional delegation on the importance of long-term continued and sustained government funding. Click HERE to access a letter your organization can personalize for your members of Congress.

Click HERE to access a summary of HR 1363, which details the proposed funding cuts important to local governments and regional planning organizations. Basic talking points above can help with program-specific information.