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Letter to the Honorable Kent Conrad 1 (July 2008)

handle is hein.congrec/cbo9049 and id is 1 raw text is: CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE Peter R. Orszag, Director US. Congress Washington, DC 20515 July 25, 2008 Honorable Kent Conrad Chairman Committee on the Budget United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 Dear Mr. Chairman: This letter responds to the questions you posed on July 17, 2008, about the impact on the federal budget from enacting legislation that authorizes future appropriations but does not affect direct spending or revenues. Consequently, this letter does not address legislation that would permit agencies to incur obligations in advance of appropriations (for example, legislation providing new contract authority). Question #1: Does an authorization of future appropriations provide the authority for federal programs or agencies to incur obligations and make payments from the Treasury? Answer: No. A simple authorization of appropriations does not provide an agency with the authority to incur obligations or make payments from the Treasury. Question #2: Can an agency or program spend money without the authority from Congress to incur obligations and make payments from the Treasury? Answer: No. An agency is not allowed to spend money without the proper authority from Congress to incur obligations. (See 31 U.S.C. §1341, which outlines limitations on expending and obligating funds by officers and employees of the United States Government.) www.cbo.gov

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