The Federal Budget Process
Continued
House and Senate work out differences in Conference
Since the spending bills are once again being debated and amended separately, House and Senate versions will have to go through the same conference committee process as the Budget Resolution. The conferees have to agree on one version of each bill capable of passing in both the House and Senate by a majority vote.
Full House and Senate Consider 13 Conference Agreements
Once the conference committees have forwarded their agreements to them, the House and Senate must both approve them by a majority vote.
The Budget Act stipulates that the House should have given final approval to all 13 spending bills by June 30.
President May Sign or Veto Any or All of the Appropriations Bills
As spelled out in the Constitution, the President has ten days in which to decide: (1) to sign the bill, thereby making it law; (2) to veto the bill, thereby sending it back to Congress and requiring much of the process to begin again with respect the programs covered by that bill; or (3) to allow the bill to become law without his signature, thereby making it law but doing so without his express approval.
The Government Begins a New Fiscal Year
If and when the process goes as planned, all 13 spending bills have been signed by the President and have become Public Laws by October 1, the start of the new Fiscal Year. Most years, this happens. But, not this year...
