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Public Policy

The goal of the Disability Policy Collaboration is to impact national public policy for people with developmental disabilities, including those with cerebral palsy and intellectual disability, and their friends, families and loved ones.

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Labor-HHS-Education

Appropriations Process

Federal programs that are "discretionary" (allowed but not required) are funded through an "appropriations" process. Almost all programs are "discretionary" with the exception of Medicare and Social Security and a few others. For discretionary programs, Congress uses appropriations bills to designate a specific amount of money that can be spent on each program that year. As a precondition to an appropriation there is supposed to be an authorization which creates the program and spells out the details, the specific activities and goals for the newly created program or, if it is an existing program that is being re-authorized, merely extends or amends the content of the program. Usually, a spending authorization is set for several years and is done prior to appropriating funds. When an amount is appropriated for the coming year, that amount may not exceed but can be less than the amount that Congress has authorized.

An appropriations bill funds projects for one federal fiscal year, which begins October 1. But because the Labor-HHS-Ed appropriations bill deals with controversial issues such as abortion, that bill often is not passed until after a new fiscal year has already started. In such cases, a "continuing resolution" (CR) must be passed in order for affected programs to continue operating, and its funding level is usually based on the previous fiscal year.

In the beginning of each fiscal year, Congress also adopts a Budget Resolution, this sets spending caps in broad categories. The Budget Resolutions make certain assumptions regarding spending for specific programs within the categories. These assumptions, however, are not binding on the Appropriations Committee when they determine spending for those same programs. The general spending caps for the broad categories, however, cannot be exceeded without special waivers being adopted by the Congress. Without such waivers, the appropriations bill containing the violation of the caps is subject to a point of order.