Budget Formulation — Executive and Legislative Branches

1. Budget Formulation —Executive and Legislative Branches Office of Budget & Performance

2. Overview — How we obtain $$$ Purpose Explain the formulation segment of the budget process • How – Mechanism • When – Lifecycle • Who – Department, OMB, Congress

3. USGS Process —External Department and OMB guidance • Secretarial Priorities • Presidential Priorities Interactions with stakeholders • Lectures and conferences nationwide • Customer listening sessions

4. USGS Process May - June • Preparation of the “Budget Request” to the Department

5. Department Decisions July - August • USGS Director, Director of OBP, and Budget Officer present budget to Secretary • Secretary’s decision • Preparation of OMB “Budget Estimates”

6. OMB Budget Estimates September • Hearing • Decisions made by • Examiner and Branch Chief • Top management, including OMB Director

7. OMB Budget Estimates — Passback Thanksgiving • THE “Passback” • Appeals December - January • Final decisions • Finishing touches on the “Greenbook,” which is due to Congress in February

8. First Monday in February Hurry and get that Greenbook to Capitol Hill!!!

9. Congressional Hearings After Congress receives the President’s Budget, the House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees hold hearings to allow the agencies to describe and defend their budget proposals.

10. Congressional Hearings • The USGS budget is handled by the Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee. • The Director of the USGS may be invited to testify on the USGS budget. • All testimony must comport with Administration policy.

11. Congressional Questions for the Record • After the hearings, the Subcommittees submit questions about the budget. • USGS prepares answers that must be cleared by DOI and OMB. • The Hearing Record includes written and oral testimony as well as Qs & As.

12. Congressional Priorities In addition to our budget request, the Appropriations Subcommittees consider requests from other sources with divergent interests, including lobby groups and other members of Congress.

13. Markups • “Markup” is the process by which congressional committees and subcommittees debate, amend, and rewrite proposed legislation. • The prior year’s bill language is physically “marked up” according to current congressional priorities.

14. Bill Language and Report Language • Bill language — • Becomes law. • USGS bill language is brief, with few details. • Report language — • Gives details on congressional intent. • Is also used to praise or admonish agencies. • Is not law but is usually treated as such.

15. Conference • Differences between the House and Senate bills are settled in “Conference.” • When the Conference Agreement has been approved by the full House and full Senate, the Appropriations Bill has passed Congress!

16. Appropriations Law • Once the Appropriations Bill has been passed, it is sent to the White House. • The President has 10 days to sign the bill into law or veto it.

17. Continuing Resolutions What happens if an appropriations bill does not become law before October 1 (the beginning of the fiscal year)?

18. Continuing Resolutions • A Continuing Resolution (CR) allows government to continue operating with certain limitations (such as timeframe and spending rate). • No new projects are started while a CR is in effect. • Without an appropriation or a CR, agencies must shut down.

19. Supplemental Appropriations — • May be passed at any point in the year, making funds available immediately, • Are usually associated with one or more emergencies requiring additional funding, and • For the USGS, typically fund repair or replacement of damaged equipment or facilities.