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Federal Budget Policy (January 2017)

Class Four -- Friday, January 6th, 2017

In today's class, we will continue our discussion of Congressional budgeting procedures, focusing on various techniques that have been introduced over the years to facilitate budgeting in the face of political constraints. Please read the student briefing papers on the budget reconciliation process and the use of continuing resolutions. Then choose one of the other two briefing papers to read - either on the use of earmarks or the use of appropriations riders. Team Assignments: Teams A & D: Put together a few powerpoint slides summarizing and assessing the budget process reforms proposed by the CRFB's 2015 paper on a "better budget process." Teams I & K: Put togeher a similar set of slides focusing on what you consider to be the most promising reforms included in the 2014 Heritage Foundation paper. Teams E & H -- Put together a similar set of slides with respect to the budget reforms set forth in recent working papers of the majority staff of the House Committee on the Budget. These papers are posted as background readings for our luncheon speaker on January 12th. For background, we’ve included two papers on budget reform proposals, one from the Heritage Foundation and a second from the Committee for a Responsible Budget.