Working w-Congress (Bonsell)KAHDHSGGGS.pptx

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1. How Washington Works or Doesn’t

2. What’s Going On? 2 In a dangerous world, why are defense budgets flat? Why does it feel like the system is broken? Who is influencing Congress? Why are there so many new regulations? What can I do to change things?

3. Why Congress is Important Article I Congress decides the budgets Congress decides whether or not to provide funds and determines the levels, terms, and conditions of such funding for all federal, and many state, activities Congress uses this power as a tool to accomplish policy objectives and to set national priorities Section 8 Powers of Congress : The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises,   to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defense and general Welfare of the United States ; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States 3

4. Your engagement with the Hill: It is all about the Member 4 What did he mean “you can’t take my planes from my base? They aren’t his planes. Who does that young staffer think he is? Did they even read our operational concept? I thought that meeting went well. What happened? How do I get through to her? She doesn’t seem to listen.

5. Who are the players? Members of Congress Personal Office Staff Committee Staff Chairpersons and Ranking Members of the Committees Constituents Administration Lobbyists Fundraisers

6. Who are the players? Political Parties George Washington quotes from his farewell address: “However [political parties] may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion.” “ The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism. But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism.”

7. The Federal Budget Process (in Theory) 7 In early February, OMB, after reviewing agency proposals, submits the President’s annual budget request, detailing the administration’s goals for federal revenue and spending, program-by-program funding levels, and project deficits and surpluses. 1 2 By April 15, Senate and House Budget Committees draft budget resolutions to set total levels of discretionary funding available for the next fiscal year. If a resolution fails to pass both chambers, a chamber will pass a “deeming resolution” to establish enforceable budget levels. 3 Working within the discretionary funding limits set by the budget resolutions, House and Senate Appropriations Committees assign to each of their twelve subcommittees the task of determining program-by-program funding. 4 The Appropriations Committees amend and pass subcommittee appropriations bills. Senate and House leadership negotiate passing all subcommittee bills together in an omnibus bill. If Congress fails to do this by October 1, it must pass a continuing resolution to keep programs funded . 5 6 The President signs the omnibus bill or continuing resolution.

8. How a Bill Becomes a Law 8 Final votes/conference committee If both chambers pass an identical bill, the bill is sent directly to the president If each chamber passes a similar bill with some differences, a conference committee is formed to reach compromise and combine the bills Representative Introduces bill in the House Senator Introduces bill in the Senate Senate floor Bill is debated and amended 3/5 majority needed to end debate Simple majority needed to pass House floor Bill is debated and amended Speaker must allow a floor vote Simple majority needed to pass House committee/subcommittee Bill is debated and amended Simple majority needed to proceed Senate committee/subcommittee Bill is debated and amended Simple majority needed to proceed President The president can sign bills that have been passed by both chambers into law The president can reject a bill with a veto; Congress can override a veto by passing the bill in each chamber with a 2/3 majority

9. Sources: Congressional Research Service. 9 In order for a program to be funded, it must first be authorized. Authorization Process House and Senate Committees draft authorization bills House and Senate each pass a version of the authorization bill If the bills are not the same, a Conference Committee resolves any differences and sends the bill back to both chambers An authorization bill that becomes law creates, continues, or modifies a program and allows for it to be funded by taxpayer money Authorization and appropriations bills are related Before Congress can pass appropriations bills, it must pass legislation that provides the federal government the legal authority to spend the money. Authorizations often cover multiple years, so authorizing legislation does not need to pass Congress every year the way appropriations bills do . Authorization is sent to the White House; president passes or vetoes

10. Sources: Congressional Research Service 10 Once a program is authorized, it can be funded through an appropriations bill. Appropriations process President releases budget request House passes budget resolution Senate passes budget resolution Congress passes combined budget resolution Appropriations subcommittees draft bills Any unfinished appropriations bills combined into omnibus bill Senate passes 12 appropriations bills House passes 12 appropriations bills Congress combines and passes 12 bills S H S H Appropriations bill is sent to White House; president passes or vetoes Based on the overall limits defined in the budget resolution, each subcommittee establishes the specific funding level for the programs under its jurisdiction February May – September March – April Collaborative process between federal agencies and the OMB Determines overall level of discretionary funding for the next fiscal year

11. QUESTIONS (Did we answer these?) What did he mean “you can’t take my planes from my base? They aren’t his planes. Who does that young staffer think he is? Did they even read our operational concept? I thought that meeting went well. What happened? How do I get through to her? She doesn’t seem to listen. In a dangerous world, why are defense budgets flat? Why does it feel like the system is broken? Who is influencing Congress? Why are there so many new regulations? What can I do to change things?