TOPICS
TOPICS
Congress spends billions on unauthorized programs
In its annual report to lawmakers on appropriations for unauthorized programs, the Congressional Budget Office said Congress appropriated $170.4 billion in fiscal 2005 for programs with lapsed authorizations.
That is up $80 billion from 2002 because of several large authorizations that expired in the last two years, according to the report, which was released Friday.
The $170.4 billion comprises 167 different expired authorization laws, with the largest being programs that authorize veterans medical care, Section 8 housing assistance, NASA and the National Institutes of Health.
For the current fiscal year, about $526 billion has been authorized to be appropriated for programs that expire this year. The lion's share comes from the annual defense authorization law.
Other authorizations that expire this year include Project Bioshield, the Millennium Challenge Fund, the 2000 Older Americans Act and the Children's Health Act, the 2002 Help America Vote Act and the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000.
COMMENTS
- This article is ridiculous! What is it's point? There is nothing in this article other than the need to fill space on a page! Congress appropriates and authorizes and does not spend! The appropriations committee may recommend giving programs obligation capability but that obligation has to have an authorization before the executive may obligate the government to pay for anything. If the executive agency obligates without authorization they are performing an illegal act and if the agency obligates wthout an appropriation they are performing an illegal acty. You have to have both the appropriation and authorization to obligate the government. What is the point of this article? Even if you have the appropriation and authorization the executive agency may refuse to spend the money. That got Nixion in trouble and the courts ruled that the executive had to spend the money that was authorized and appropriated. The executive does not have the authority to refuse to spend what Congress has authorized and appropriated! Congress often has a different timing for authorization and appropriation so that at times it may appear that the two are not together. taxpayer Posted January 21, 2005 7:17 AM
- I wish this article had a little flesh on its bones. Are some or all of the funded programs whose authorizations expired included simply because Congress did not reauthorize them AS THEY SHOULD HAVE prior to authorizing the funding, such as "veterans medical care?" If the federal government is no longer supposed to be funding veterans health care, then this country has problems far bigger than fiscal or procedural ones. Jamie Thompson Posted January 19, 2005 12:41 PM
- Do you know what would happen to a government employee that misappropriated funds, whether on purpose or not? They would be fired! Why should our elected officials be any different? They are employed by the taxpayer and should be held to the same standards. GovExec.com reader Posted January 19, 2005 9:00 AM
