Appropriations Bills

One of Congress's most important duties each year is to pass bills appropriating money to operate government agencies and programs. The Constitution says money cannot be drawn from the U.S. Treasury except “in consequence of appropriations made by law.” If Congress did not provide money in appropriations bills, the government would have to shut down. Brief shutdowns occur from time to time when Congress fails to appropriate funds in time, usually as a result of policy disputes with the president.

Appropriations bills provide legal authority to spend money previously approved in authorization bills, but they need not provide all of the money authorized. By custom, the House acts first on appropriations bills; the Senate revises the House version, although on occasion it has written its own separate measure.

Each year Congress must pass thirteen regular appropriations bills by October 1 to fund the various parts of the federal government. About one-half of federal spending each year is funded through this process. The other half is funded automatically, by the authority granted by laws governing entitlements and other mandatory programs. Each of the thirteen regular appropriations bills covers one or more governmental functions—one bill covers defense, for example, while another covers labor, health and human services, and education.

In addition to regular appropriations bills, Congress usually passes one or more supplemental appropriations bills annually to provide funds for unbudgeted [Page p19]programs or events. In 1991 a supplemental appropriation was used to supply money for the Persian Gulf War. A supplemental appropriation for emergency urban aid was passed after the Los Angeles riots in 1992. A 1998 bill provided supplemental appropriations for disaster aid and for military peacekeeping operations in Bosnia and Iraq. If one or more of the regular appropriations bills have not been enacted by October 1, Congress typically passes a continuing resolution to keep agencies operating temporarily. The continuing resolution may last only a few days or up to an entire fiscal year. It can cover one function or the whole government in an omnibus bill. (See Budget Process; Omnibus Bills.)