Army Appropriations and Congress
August 2008
U.S. Army Budget Congressional Liaison Office (SAFM-BUL)
CHARLIE WILSON’S WAR
From his new positions on Appropriations; Wilson
began to learn how Israel and other special interests use their power. He discovered that the authorizing committees, like Foreign Affairs, were little more than debating societies. He now served on a committee that doled our nation’s money: fifty men appropriating $500 billion a year. He watched and saw how one man, if he’s on the right subcommittee and knows how to play the system, can move the entire nation to fund a program or cause of his choice.
2
The Constitution
Article 1, Section 8, of the United States Constitution provides for Congress to raise and sustain Armies
• Those two tasks, raise and sustain, form the basis of staff actions provided by Headquarters, Department of the Army Headquarters (HQDA) • HQDA provides the policies and resources necessary to keep the Army running
United States Code Title 10, Subtitle B outlines the Army’s responsibilities to provide for the organization, personnel, training, and the service, supply and procurement of the United States Army
• There are two “big picture” centers of gravity that keep the Army running: The All Volunteer Force enables Congress to raise an Army The appropriation of money needed to pay Army bills – pay people, purchase equipment, build and maintain facilities, train Soldiers, and care for Families
USC Title 10, Subtitle B, Part I for Organization defines in Chapter 303 the Army’s responsibilities for financial management
• The Army budget, submitted as part of the President’s Budget submission each year, represents the prioritized needs of our Army that will keep the Army running.
The Army Budget Congressional Liaison Office provides to Congress the budget information Congress needs to understand and support the budget request
3
Appropriations Liaison History
Exact genesis of budget liaison relationships with appropriation committees can’t be precisely determined…however, a 1925 War Dept document states:
The budget officer will be the contact representative of the War Dept and responsible for the presentation of estimates at hearings before the Bureau of the Budget and of the committees of Congress. He will arrange for the attendance of witnesses and for the furnishing of information.
Dept of Army Circular, 1948:
The Chief, Legislative and Liaison Division formulates, coordinates, and accomplishes the Dept of the Army legislative program, except appropriation bills; participates in official Dept of Army contacts with Congress and its members, except in matters pertaining to appropriations (found in Army Regulation 1-20, Legislative Liaison, today)
House Appropriations Committee’s Report on DoD for FY1971:
The committee reiterates its belief that the work of the Appropriations Committee is most effectively accomplished through the Comptroller and Budget Office organizations of the DoD…rather than through other channels, including legislative liaison offices.
House Appropriations Committee’s Report on DoD for FY1984:
…No effort is to be undertaken to integrate (organizationally or physically) the appropriation liaison staffs with the less specialized and non-financially oriented legislative oriented legislative liaison staffs.
4
Army Budget Congressional Liaison
What We Do… to Build Enduring Support for the Army
WE EXPLAIN CONGRESS TO THE ARMY….
and WE EXPLAIN THE ARMY TO CONGRESS
Advise the Secretary of the Army on Appropriations
Develop & Articulate Appropriations Strategies
Report to the Secretary on Appropriation Matters Grow Relationships with Members & Staffs Provide “One Voice” between HQDA & Appropriators
Serve as the Conduit of Information Exchange Support Congressional Inquiries & Travel
5
13 Appropriations Bills
1. Defense (National Security) (US Army)
2.
3. 4.
Military Construction and Veteran Affairs
Energy and Water Development (Army Corps of Engineers) Agriculture & Rural Development, Food and Drug
5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13.
Commerce–Justice-Science Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Financial Services and General Government State Department and Foreign Operations Homeland Security Select intelligence (House Only) Interior–Environment Labor, HHS, Education Legislative Branch
FY2008 Budget Mandatory Expenditures Discretionary Expenditures Defense Global War on Terror $2,900 $1,800 $1,100 $480 $145
M M
M
M
M
57% of Discretionary
M Mandatory
6
The Program – Budget – Bill Process
Clear Corporate Guidance, Programming, Budgeting and a Unified Army Message Sets the Stage for Success on Capitol Hill
Congress Affects the Margins – However for many Army Programs, the Margins Are Important
7
Congressional Budget Timeline
JAN
President’s
FEB
CBO Report
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
1
OCT
Budget
Target CBR Completion After 15 May, Approps May Markup
House CompletionTarget for Appropriations Bills
Fiscal Year Begins
House
Markup
Concurrent Budget Resolution
Senate
HBC
Hearings
Floor Floor CONF
SBC
Hearings
Floor
Floor Markup Floor
House
Markup
HASC Hearings
Floor
Authorization
Senate
CONF
Public Law
SASC Hearings
Markup
Floor
Floor
House
HAC Hearings
Markup
Floor CONF
Floor
Appropriation
Senate
Public Law
SAC Hearings
Markup
Floor
Floor
8
Army Budget Timeline
Three years at a time
Today FY09 FY08 Budget Execution
Congress
FY08 GWOT Request
Execution
Bridge
Post Execution
FY08 Final Amendment
Legislated and Signed Bill Continuing Resolution
FY09 President’s Budget Request
Change Prop
Congress
Execution
FY09 GWOT Bridge Request FY09 GWOT Main Amendment
Post Execution
FY10-15 Program Budget Submit
Planning
POM/BES
Congress
Execution
FY10 GWOT Request FY10 GWOT Amendment
JAN 07
9
JAN 08
JAN 09
JAN 10
House Appropriations Committee
Subcommittee on Defense DEMOCRATS
110th Congress, 2nd Session
Majority Staff Director Paul Juola
REPUBLICANS Ranking Member
C.W. “Bill” Young R-FL-10
Chairman
John P. Murtha D-PA-12
Minority Staff Director John Shank
Norman Dicks D-WA-6
Peter Visclosky DIN-1
David Hobson R-OH-7 Rodney Frelinghuysen R-NJ-11
Ranking Order
James Moran D-VA-8 Marcy Kaptur D-OH-9 Robert “Bud” Cramer D-AL-5 Allen Boyd D-FL-2 Steven Rothman D-NJ-9 Sanford Bishop D-GA-2
Todd Tiahrt R-KS-4
Ranking Order
Jack Kingston R-GA-1
Kay Granger R-TX-12
10
House Appropriations Committee
Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee
DEMOCRATS Chairman
110th Congress, 2nd Session
Majority Staff Director Carol Murphy
REPUBLICANS Ranking Member
Zach Wamp R-TN-3
Chet Edwards D-TX-17
Minority Staff Director Liz Dawson
Sam Farr D-CA-17
Norman Dicks D-WV-1
Alan Mollohan D-WV-1 Patrick Kennedy D-RI-1
Ranking Order
Ander Crenshaw R-FL-4
C.W. Bill Young R-FL-10
Ranking Order
Allen Boyd D-FL-12
Sanford Bishop Jr. D-GA-2 Marion Berry D-AL-1 Granger, Kay R-TX-12
John Carter R-TX-3
11
Senate Appropriations Committee
Subcommittee on Defense
DEMOCRATS
110th Congress, 2nd Session
Majority Staff Director Charlie Houy Minority Staff Director Sid Ashworth
REPUBLICANS Ranking Member
Thad Cochran R- MS
Chairman
Daniel Inouye D-HI
Robert Byrd D-WV Patrick Leahy D-VT
Ted Stevens R-AK Arlen Specter R-PA
Tom Harkin D-IA
Ranking Order
Peter Domenici R-NM
Christopher Bond R-MO Mitch McConnell R-KY
Ranking Order
Byron Dorgan D-ND Richard Durbin D-IL
Dianne Feinstein D-CA
Barbara Mikulski D-MD Herb Kohl D-WI Patty Murray D-WA Judd Gregg R-NH
Richard Shelby R-AL
Kay Bailey Hutchison R-TX
12
Senate Appropriations Committee
Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee DEMOCRATS
110th Congress, 2nd Session
Majority Staff Director Tina Evans Minority Staff Director Dennis Balkam
REPUBLICANS
Chairman
Tim Johnson D-SD
Ranking Member
Kay Bailey Hutchison R-TX
Daniel Inouye D-HI
Mary Landrieu D-LA Robert Byrd D-WV
Ranking Order
Larry Craig R- ID Sam Brownback R–KS Wayne Allard R–CO
Ranking Order
Patty Murray D-WA
Mitch McConnell R-KY
Jack Reed D–RI
Bob Bennett R-UT
Ben Nelson D–NE
13