Total revenue | $4.919 trillion (actual) [1] 17.1% of GDP [1] |
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Total expenditures | $6.752 trillion (actual) [1] 23.4% of GDP [1] |
Deficit | $1.833 trillion (actual) [1] 6.4% of GDP [1] |
‹ 2023 2025› |
The United States federal budget for fiscal year 2024 ran from October 1, 2023, to September 30, 2024.
From October 1, 2023, to March 23, 2024, the federal government operated under continuing resolutions (CR) that extended 2023 budget spending levels as legislators were debating the specific provisions of the 2024 budget.
Under the United States budget process established in 1921, the US government is funded by twelve appropriations bills that are formed as a response to the presidential budget request submitted to Congress in the first few months of the previous calendar year. The various legislators in the two chambers of Congress negotiate over the precise details of the various appropriations bills. In some politically contentious years when these negotiation processes deadlock, the Legislative Branch passes a continuing resolution that essentially extends the current funding levels into the new fiscal year until a budget can be agreed upon by a majority of both houses and signed into law by the President of the United States. Supplemental appropriations bills can provide additional appropriations for emergencies and other matters.
These appropriations bills are classified as discretionary spending, and make up around 22% of federal expenditures. The remainder is classified as mandatory spending, which includes programs such as Social Security and Medicare, as well as interest on debt. [2]
Beginning in 2009, the fiscally conservative Tea Party movement within the Republican Party gained ascendancy in resistance to Obama-era increases in government spending (most visibly due to Obamacare and Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP)). Throughout the early 2010s, the Tea Party forced debate over balanced budgets led to a series of austerity measures and debt-ceiling negotiations intended to decrease federal spending. Notable events included the 2011 United States debt-ceiling crisis, 2013 United States debt-ceiling crisis, 2013 United States budget sequestration, and the formation of the Freedom Caucus in January 2015 by a group of conservatives and Tea Party movement members, [3] [4] with the aim of pushing the Republican leadership to the right. [5] Its first chairperson, Jim Jordan, described the caucus as a "smaller, more cohesive, more agile and more active" group of conservative representatives. [6] Jordan later remarked that during the Trump administration, the Freedom Caucus shifted focus from passing legislation to defending President Trump. [7] Under the Trump administration, the longest government shutdown was less about balanced budgets and more a result of an impasse over Donald Trump's proposed border wall with Mexico as Trump threatened to veto spending legislation. Republicans have remained defiant against voting for spending bills in the 118th Congress; several Republicans aligned with the Freedom Caucus have refused to vote for spending bills under Biden, including Chip Roy, Lauren Boebert, and Andy Biggs. [8]
The 2022 midterm elections resulted in a narrow Senate majority for the Democratic Party and a House of Representatives majority for the Republican Party. In the 118th Congress, the Freedom Caucus congressional caucus, has secured a number of House of Representatives seats. Kevin McCarthy, leader of the House Republican Conference, was elected speaker of the House after several days of voting as opposition—primarily led by members of the Freedom Caucus—mounted against him; McCarthy conceded to his opponents to negotiate their support for his speakership. [9] One of these concessions was that any singular member of Congress can initiate a motion to vacate. [10]
The Biden administration budget proposal was released in March 2023. [11]
In May 2023, McCarthy negotiated with president Joe Biden on a deal to resolve a debt-ceiling crisis and an imminent debt default. In response, Republicans, led by Matt Gaetz, blocked a bill protecting gas stoves against federal regulations [12] in order to force McCarthy to choose between acquiescing to the insurgents and passing legislation that would face resistance in the Senate, or to work with Democrats and contend with a potential ousting. [13] Grievances among Republicans quelled several days later after an agreement was made, but Freedom Caucus members threatened that a blockade could occur if their demands were not met. [14]
The Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023, passed in June, resolved the debt-ceiling crisis and set spending caps for FY2024 and FY2025.
Negotiations for funding the federal government for the 2024 fiscal year began in July. Republican demands to cut government spending concerned Democrats in the House of Representatives. Rosa DeLauro, the ranking member of the House Committee on Appropriations, stated that Republican opposition would ultimately result in a government shutdown. The Senate Committee on Appropriations remained committed to securing a deal according to ranking members Patty Murray and Susan Collins. [8]
In a show of austerity, members of the Freedom Caucus threatened to refuse to hold a vote on two spending bills supported by McCarthy in July 2023; representative Bob Good stated that members should not "fear a government shutdown". [15] Republicans in the House of Representatives abandoned efforts to fund the Department of Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that month but narrowly passed a bill to fund veterans programs and military construction projects. In particular, Republicans sought to include language that reversed an FDA ruling allowing the oral abortion pill mifepristone to be sold in retail pharmacies. [16] In August, Trump was federally indicted for attempting to overturn the 2020 presidential election, further complicating efforts to fund the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice. [17] Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer agreed to a temporary spending bill with McCarthy to avert a shutdown that month. [18] McCarthy argued that a shutdown could prevent the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability from investigating the Biden family, but some Republicans remained dismissive. [19]
By September, the federal government appeared poised to shut down. [20] The Freedom Caucus stated its opposition to any bill that would not include a border measure that revives Trump-era policies, including constructing the Trump border wall, detaining asylum seekers for longer, and deporting unaccompanied minors, [21] while many hardliners maintained their oppositions to any continuing resolutions to keep the government open. [22] Additionally, some hardliners threatened to depose McCarthy if he turned to Democrats to gather more votes. [23] Bowing to resistance, McCarthy pulled a Pentagon funding bill that month. [24] House Republicans began considering a temporary bill to fund the government on September 17, [25] but were met with opposition from within the party. [26] In spite of far-right Republicans derailing a second Pentagon funding bill, [27] McCarthy remained optimistic and appeased his opponents. [28] On September 26, the Senate reached a tentative spending deal to fund the government through November, [29] but the bill would not be able to pass before a shutdown due to a filibuster by Senator Rand Paul over aid to Ukraine. [30] McCarthy opposed the deal, telling his conference that he would not put the Senate bill on the House floor. [31]
Long title | An act making continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2024, and for other purposes. |
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Enacted by | the 118th United States Congress |
Citations | |
Public law | Pub. L. 118–15 (text) (PDF) |
Legislative history | |
On September 29, the House Committee on Rules convened to consider a continuing resolution to fund the federal government for an additional month with border security measures. [32] The bill failed 198—232 in the House, with far-right Republicans defying McCarthy. [33] The following day, hours before a shutdown was expected to occur, McCarthy announced that he would support a continuing resolution without aid for Ukraine. [34] The House passed the bill under suspension of the rules a few hours later. Nearly the entire Democratic Caucus supported the resolution, and it was approved in the Senate. [35]
Long title | An act making further continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2024, and for other purposes. |
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Enacted by | the 118th United States Congress |
Citations | |
Public law | Pub. L. 118–22 (text) (PDF) |
Legislative history | |
As he had previously threatened to do if McCarthy put a clean continuing resolutions on the floor, Gaetz introduced a motion to vacate and it passed 216–210, with 8 Republicans and all Democrats voting yes, removing McCarthy as speaker. The speakership seat was immediately vacated and for the next several weeks, Patrick McHenry—a McCarthy ally—was made speaker pro tempore . During this period, the House did not pass any legislation as it was obligated to resolve the October 2023 Speaker of the United States House of Representatives election with Speaker candidates including Jim Jordan and Steve Scalise. On October 7, the Israel–Hamas war broke out, and the House was also unable to pass any resolutions or military aid to Israel because of the lack of House leadership. During some of the GOP balloting discussions, proposals emerged for extending the CR to April 2024 and mandating a 1% across-the-board cut. [36] [37] On October 25, Mike Johnson was elected as the Speaker of the House of Representatives by a vote of 220–209. [38] Johnson implemented the strategy of passing individual appropriations, however only HR 4821, 4364 and 4394 passed the House before the budget deadline elapsed; a Continuing Resolution passed the House on November 14 with bipartisan support. [39] The Senate passed the bill on November 15. The CR extends funding for four appropriations bills – Transportation/Housing and Urban Development, Military Construction/Veterans Affairs, Energy/Water, and Agriculture/Rural Development/Food and Drug Administration – until January 19, 2024, with the remaining bills extended until February 2. [40]
Long title | An act making further continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2024, and for other purposes. |
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Enacted by | the 118th United States Congress |
Citations | |
Public law | Pub. L. 118–35 (text) (PDF) |
Legislative history | |
|
Following the passage of the November continuing resolution, neither the House nor the Senate advanced any funding bills, [41] as hardline Republicans successfully pushed Speaker Johnson to abandon the funding levels reached in the Fiscal Responsibility Act. [42]
On January 7, 2024, congressional leaders reached a US$1.66 trillion agreement for topline spending. [43] Following the agreement, hardline Republicans again attempted to push Johnson to abandon the deal. [44] Several senior members of congress indicated an interest in passing another continuing resolution into March to allow for more time to draw up funding bills aligned with the deal. [45] The CR was passed on January 18, 2024. [46] The CR would extend funding for the first four appropriations bills until March 1, with the remainder extended until March 8. On February 13, the Senate took their scheduled break until the 26th, and the House designated the 15th through to the 27th as a district work period. This combination meant that all appropriations bills would need to be passed in the three days between the reconvening and first deadlines.[ citation needed ]
Long title | An act making further continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2024, and for other purposes. |
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Enacted by | the 118th United States Congress |
Citations | |
Public law | Pub. L. 118–40 (text) (PDF) |
Legislative history | |
On February 29, the House passed a short-term continuing resolution extending the funding deadline to March 8 for the first four appropriations bills in the November and January CRs, and to March 22 for the rest. [47] The bill passed the Senate as well on March 1, and was signed into law by President Biden later the same day.
Long title | An Act making consolidated appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, and for other purposes. |
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Citations | |
Public law | Pub. L. 118–42 (text) (PDF) |
Legislative history | |
|
On March 3, 2024, House and Senate appropriators released a $459 billion "minibus" spending package containing six of the twelve appropriations bills. The bill provides funding for the departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Justice, Energy, Interior, Veterans Affairs, Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development. It also provides appropriations for the EPA, the Army Corps of Engineers, and other military construction. [48] Democrats cheered full funding for WIC programs and the lack of "poison pill" riders promoted by Republicans. Republicans cheered cuts to the FBI, ATF, and EPA, although Democrats contested the extent of the cuts. [49] The rightmost faction of the Republican conference harshly opposed the deal, arguing it did not contain any substantial conservative policy; [50] the proposal also drew criticism from some Democrats, who expressed concern over a provision allowing mentally incompetent veterans to buy guns in certain circumstances. [51] The minibus deal passed the House on Wednesday, March 6, and the Senate on March 8; it was signed into law by President Biden on Saturday, March 9. The passage of the bill on coincided with two other major political events that week: Super Tuesday (on Tuesday, March 5) and 2024 State of the Union Address (on Thursday, March 7).
Long title | An Act making further consolidated appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, and for other purposes. |
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Citations | |
Public law | Pub. L. 118–47 (text) (PDF) |
Legislative history | |
|
Following the passage of the first minibus, negotiators shifted to work on a second minibus bill to fund the remaining federal departments. Funding for the Department of Homeland Security emerged as a sticking point, with both parties seeking various riders related to border policy, [52] with negotiators pivoting to a full-year CR for that department, which would keep funding flat. [53] That plan ran into a last-minute pushback from the Biden administration, which wanted more funding and flexibility on the border. [53] On March 18, negotiators reached an agreement, with text to come, but due to time to come up with the text of the deal and various House and Senate procedural issues, a short partial shutdown was still considered possible. [54] The second "minibus" spending package passed the House on March 22 by a vote of 286 to 134 (101 Republicans and 184 Democrats voted in favor; 112 Republicans and 22 Democrats voted against). The Senate voted 74-24 early Saturday morning on March 23 to pass the $1.2 trillion government funding bill after heated last-minute negotiations caused senators to breach the midnight deadline to avert a shutdown. While the final passage came after the midnight deadline, the Senate's actions effectively prevented any lapse in funding or government function, and the federal government is now funded through the end of the fiscal year. President Biden signed the bill on Saturday, March 23. [55]
On April 20, the House passed bills providing aid to Israel, Ukraine and Indo-Pacific allies and imposing further sanctions on enemies of the United States. Pursuant to a resolution agreed to by the House, the bills were merged into a single Act before being sent to the Senate: the latter therefore held one vote on the whole package, which passed on April 23. President Biden signed it into law the following day. [56] [57] [58] [59]
Party | Yes | No | Voted "Present" | Not voting | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | 186 | 25 | — | 7 | |
Democratic | 174 | 33 | — | 6 | |
Total votes | 360 | 58 | — | 13 |
Party | Yes | No | Voted "Present" | Not voting | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | 178 | 34 | — | 6 | |
Democratic | 207 | — | 1 | 5 | |
Total votes | 385 | 34 | 1 | 11 |
Party | Yes | No | Voted "Present" | Not voting | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | 101 | 112 | 1 | 4 | |
Democratic | 210 | — | — | 3 | |
Total votes | 311 | 112 | 1 | 7 |
Party | Yes | No | Voted "Present" | Not voting | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | 193 | 21 | — | 4 | |
Democratic | 173 | 37 | — | 3 | |
Total votes | 366 | 58 | — | 7 |
Party | Yes | No | Voted "Present" | Not voting | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | 46 | 2 | — | — | |
Republican | 31 | 15 | — | 3 | |
Independent [b] | 2 | 1 | — | — | |
Total votes | 79 | 18 | 3 | 3 |
In the United States, a continuing resolution is a type of appropriations legislation. An appropriations bill is a bill that appropriates money to specific federal government departments, agencies, and programs. The money provides funding for operations, personnel, equipment, and activities. Regular appropriations bills are passed annually, with the funding they provide covering one fiscal year. The fiscal year is the accounting period of the federal government, which runs from October 1 to September 30 of the following year.
In the United States, government shutdowns occur when funding legislation required to finance the federal government is not enacted before the next fiscal year begins. In a shutdown, the federal government curtails agency activities and services, ceases non-essential operations, furloughs non-essential workers, and retains only essential employees in departments that protect human life or property. Shutdowns can also disrupt state, territorial, and local levels of government.
Kevin Owen McCarthy is an American politician who served as the 55th speaker of the United States House of Representatives from January to October 2023. A member of the Republican Party, he was the U.S. representative for California's 20th congressional district from 2007 until his resignation in 2023.
Hakeem Sekou Jeffries is an American politician and attorney who has served as House Minority Leader and Leader of the House Democratic Caucus since 2023. He has been the U.S. representative for New York's 8th congressional district since 2013 and was a member of the New York State Assembly from 2007 to 2012.
The Rohrabacher–Farr amendment is legislation introduced by U.S. Representative Maurice Hinchey in 2001, prohibiting the Justice Department from spending funds to interfere with the implementation of state medical cannabis laws. It passed the House in May 2014 after six previously failed attempts, becoming law in December 2014 as part of an omnibus spending bill. The passage of the amendment was the first time either chamber of Congress had voted to protect medical cannabis patients, and is viewed as a historic victory for cannabis reform advocates at the federal level. The amendment does not change the legal status of cannabis, however, and must be renewed each fiscal year in order to remain in effect.
The 2012 United States federal budget was the budget to fund government operations for the fiscal year 2012, which lasted from October 1, 2011, through September 30, 2012. The original spending request was issued by President Barack Obama in February 2011. That April, the Republican-held House of Representatives announced a competing plan, The Path to Prosperity, emboldened by a major victory in the 2010 Congressional elections associated with the Tea Party movement. The budget plans were both intended to focus on deficit reduction, but differed in their changes to taxation, entitlement programs, defense spending, and research funding.
The 2014 United States federal budget is the budget to fund government operations for the fiscal year (FY) 2014, which began on October 1, 2013 and ended on September 30, 2014.
In January 2013, the United States reached the, at the time, debt ceiling of $16.394 trillion that had been enacted following a crisis in 2011. President Obama and members of the Democratic Party proposed raising the debt ceiling, with some advocating for its complete dismissal. Members of the Republican Party staunchly opposed raising the debt ceiling unless spending cuts would parallel the bill, including defunding the Affordable Care Act. Previous raises of the debt ceiling have been largely bipartisan without conditions.
The Freedom Caucus, also known as the House Freedom Caucus, is a congressional caucus consisting of Republican members of the United States House of Representatives. It is generally considered to be the most conservative and furthest-right bloc within the chamber. The caucus was formed in January 2015 by a group of conservatives and Tea Party movement members, with the aim of pushing the Republican leadership to the right. Its first chairman, Jim Jordan, described the caucus as a "smaller, more cohesive, more agile and more active" group of conservative representatives. Its current chairman, Andy Harris is considered to be a far-right politician due to his radical proposals. Members of the Freedom Caucus are typically considered a part of the MAGA movement and loyalists to Donald Trump.
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016, also known as the 2016 omnibus spending bill, is the United States appropriations legislation passed during the 114th Congress which provides spending permission to a number of federal agencies for the fiscal year of 2016. The bill authorizes $1.1 trillion in spending, as well as $700 billion in tax breaks. The bill provides funding to the federal government through September 30, 2016.
The 118th United States Congress is the current meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It convened in Washington, D.C., on January 3, 2023, and will end on January 3, 2025, during the final two years of Joe Biden's presidency.
The 2017 United States federal budget is the United States federal budget for fiscal year 2017, which lasted from October 1, 2016 to September 30, 2017. President Barack Obama submitted a budget proposal to the 114th Congress on February 9, 2016. The 2017 fiscal year overlaps the end of the Obama administration and the beginning of the Trump administration.
The Further Continuing and Security Assistance Appropriations Act, 2017 is a continuing resolution that extended fiscal year 2017 funding for the United States federal government from December 9, 2016 until April 28, 2017. The bill contains a boost to defense spending as well as bipartisan health programs.
The United States federal budget for fiscal year 2019 ran from October 1, 2018, to September 30, 2019. Five appropriation bills were passed in September 2018, the first time five bills had been enacted on time in 22 years, with the rest of the government being funded through a series of three continuing resolutions. A gap between the second and third of these led to the 2018–19 federal government shutdown. The remainder of government funding was enacted as an omnibus spending bill in February 2019.
Shalanda Delores Young is an American political advisor who is the current director of the Office of Management and Budget, previously serving in an acting capacity from March 24, 2021, through March 17, 2022 concurrently as deputy director. She previously worked for the United States House Committee on Appropriations as its staff director.
The MCCARTHY Shutdown Act is a proposed United States federal law which would prohibit members of Congress from being paid during a government shutdown among other provisions. Introduced by Democratic representative Angie Craig from Minnesota, the bill's title refers to Republican house leader Kevin McCarthy, whose farthest-right Republicans during his tenure as Speaker of the House refused to budge on spending cuts and have advocated for compelling a government shutdown, moves which McCarthy had been unable to control during his speakership.
On October 3, 2023, the United States House of Representatives voted to remove its speaker, Kevin McCarthy of California, through a motion to vacate filed by Representative Matt Gaetz of Florida, a fellow member of the Republican Party. McCarthy's removal marked the first time in American history that a speaker of the House was removed through a motion to vacate. The vacancy started a process to elect a speaker that began following an eight-day recess.
The Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2023 was an appropriations bill in the 118th U.S. Congress.
The United States federal budget for fiscal year 2025 runs from October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025.
Beginning in 2023, during the 118th United States Congress, some members of the House Republican Conference and House Democratic Caucus formed an informal legislative coalition to pass major bills in the United States House of Representatives.
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