It took six months to complete the task, but Congress finally was able to finish all the steps necessary to produce a $1.3 trillion package of 12 spending bills to be signed into law by President Joseph Biden for the fiscal year that began on October 1, 2023. Democrat and Republican members in both legislative chambers were able to identify specific aspects of the various bills that engendered a feeling of satiety, while also acknowledging that there are several areas that will be added to the wish list when developing appropriations for the next fiscal year. For the current fiscal year, the results include:
Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Title VII and Title VII Health Professions Education and Training programs would receive $815.8 million, a $6 million (7.0%) increase over FY 2023 enacted levels. The bill also would boost discretionary funding for the National Health Service Corps ($128.6, a $3 million or 2.3% increase. The bill would provide $9.2 billion for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a $4.5 million (0.5%) increase, and would provide $369 million, a $4.5 million (1.2%) cut, to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The total program level for NIH’s base would be $47.081 billion, $378 million (0.8%) below the comparable FY 2023 funding level. The reduction is the result of a scheduled decrease in funding available to NIH in FY 2024 through the 21st Century Cures Act.
As a way of proceeding to develop spending bills for FY 2025, which begins next October 1, the President’s budget proposal, referred to by statute as the Budget of the United States Government, is required by law to be submitted annually, according to the Congressional Research Service (CRS). The President’s budget submission in practice is a statement of the Administration’s policy priorities and a unified plan for the allocation of federal budgetary resources. The President’s budget is a set of recommendations that Congress may consider, but is not required to adopt, however, it usually initiates the congressional budget process. Under current law, the President must develop and submit a consolidated budget to Congress no later than the first Monday in February prior to the start of the upcoming fiscal year.
The President’s budget has become one of the institutional presidency’s most significant policy tools. Through the executive budget process, the President may set forth legislative and program objectives and attempt to influence the nation’s overall fiscal course. A wide range of agencies support the President in the process of formulating the budget proposal. Specifically, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is largely responsible for assisting the President in carrying out budgetary duties. Along with OMB, the Council of Economic Advisors and the Treasury Department provide economic projections and revenue estimates. OMB coordinates the development of the President’s budget proposal by issuing circulars, memoranda, and guidance documents to the heads of executive agencies. These entities may then prepare their budget requests in accordance with the instructions and guidance provided by OMB.