Congress, Congress Budgets and Domestic Politics
Cong 4600
What is public policy?
Policy is what the government says and does about perceived problems bl Precise and formal
Social Security y Naming buildings
Informal
Monroe Doctrine Bush Doctrine
No action
Immigration prior to 1924 Health Care?
Stages of Policymaking
1. Setting the agenda
Problems are spotted and “placed” on nation agenda
“Exogenous” shock Gradually y
Elections – 1994, 2008? Think tanks – Heritage Foundation Lawmakers
Stages of Policymaking
2. Formulating Policy
Debate Policy Incubation – keep alive and pick up support
3. Adoption 3 Ad ti
Policy window
Popular acceptance ( not call list) p p (Do )
Need legitimacy – debate, voting, presidential signature
4. Implementation
Enforced by executive branch Congressional Oversight
Types of Policies
Distributive – give benefits to constituents
Something for everyone Earmarks buy votes Now have public disclosure of earmarks
30 25 20
$ Billion
16000 14000 12000 10000 8000 6000 4000
Total Number
15 10 5 0 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 Fiscal Year
Spending Projects
2000 0
Types of Policies
Regulatory Redistributive
FDA FTC FAA EPA
Shift resources from one group to another
Highly ideological Tax policy Social Security Medicare
Federal Budgeting
Authorizing
Establish or continue agencies, programs etc.
Appropriating
Actually giving the money – must pass A ll i i h Not supposed to have policy in appropriations bills
Authorizing and appropriating can be:
Annual Multi-year y Permanent
Entitlement Spending
Programs that grant eligible individuals and governments the right to receive payments from the national government
Budget dependent on the number of citizens who qualify for the program Not a part of the regular appropriations process (discretionary) More than 50% of federal spending Social Security, Medicare, Interest on Debt
Federal Budgeting
Federal Budgeting
1974 Budget Act
Budget and Impoundment Act of 1974
Created House and Senate Budget Committees and the CBO
CBO prepares economic forecasts and costs of legislation
Set timetable for budgeting
Concurrent Budget Resolution
Fiscal Aggregates gg g
Total federal spending Total revenues
Divide budget into 20 categories and set overall spending levels Does not carry force of law, fiscal blueprint for taxing and spending
1974 Budget Act
Reconciliation (optional)
Reduce entitlement spending in line with budget resolution
Two steps:
Committees are told h much money they must cut C i ld how h h Pass omnibus reconciliation package