Will Congress pass a budget? It’s the law.

The American people face a deadline on April 15^th.  Taxes are due.  It’s the law, and if you don’t pay them on time you are penalized.  Congress faces an April 15^th deadline, as well.  Its budget is due.  It’s the law, but Congress seems willing to shirk its lawful duty without penalty.

The budget process starts with the President, who must give Congress a comprehensive federal budget by the first Monday in February.  Congress is required to create a budget of its own and is free to ignore the President’s suggestions.  Here’s how the process is supposed to work:

The House and Senate Budget Committees hear testimony from experts, fellow Members, cabinet members, and others in the executive branch.  Other Congressional Committees with jurisdiction over budget matters offer their input, as well.  This information allows the Budget Committees to craft a “budget resolution,” which is then considered by the full House and Senate.  The adopted budget resolution becomes the blue print for that year’s budget.  For example, any legislation that calls for spending beyond what’s called for in the budget resolution cannot be considered under normal rules.

The Congressional Budget Act (CBA) of 1974 specifies that Congress must complete its annual budget resolution by April 15^th – the same day Americans must pay taxes.  If Congress fails to pass a budget resolution, legislation that affects budgetary matters cannot be considered (unless the rules are waved).  After May 15, the House is free to consider appropriations bills without a waiver, even absent a budget resolution.

Here’s what is happening in reality:

The President turned in his budget on February 1^st.  The House Budget Committee held a hearing on the President’s budget on February 2^nd and released a report on the President’s budget on February 4^th.  Since then, the Budget Committee has held one hearing for each of three departments’ budgets: the Treasury, Education and Defense Departments.  That last hearing took place on March 5^th, and since that time – even as the April 15^th deadline approaches – the House Budget Committee has been almost exclusively focused on health care reform.

The Senate Budget Committee has been moving at a similarly slow pace.  Hearings about the President’s budget took place in early February, and since then they’ve just heard from the Department of Defense and Transportation.

When Members are home visiting their Districts, people should ask why their representatives are failing to produce a budget resolution. The public deserves to see how much Congress plans to spend and on what. Members of Congress should have to live within a specified budget – just like American families (who are cutting back, not spending more).

Without a budget, it will be easier for Congress to continue on its reckless path of overspending.