Share                        
Home  » Appropriations: Annual Congressional Timeline

Appropriations: Annual Congressional Timeline

An appropriation bill authorizes the government to spend money. While the Serve America Act (SAA) authorized the expansion of AmeriCorps to 250,000 members by 2017, Congress has to appropriate the money to do so each year and over the last two years Congress has instead decided to cut national service.

The national service community must hold our elected leaders accountable and be vocal in our support of national service as a key strategy for cost-effectively addressing many of our nations most pressing challenges.

Together, we must be pro-actively involved in the appropriations process and advocate for full implementation of the SAA to our members of Congress at key times throughout the year.

Estimated timeline of the annual appropriations process:

  • February
     On the first Monday in February, the President’s annual budget request is sent to Congress.
  • April
    The House and Senate pass budget resolutions, establishing an overall budget for federal spending.
  • May-July
     The House and Senate Appropriations Committees begin their markup process. They review appropriations bills and recommend allocations to 13 subcommittees. The 13 appropriations bills are voted on by the House in June and the Senate in July.

    The Appropriations Subcommittee that determines funding levels for the Corporation for National and Community Service is Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies or otherwise known as Labor-H.
  • August
    The House and Senate adjourn for summer recess and members of Congress go back home to their States and Districts.

    Summer recess is the prime opportunity to engage your members of Congress locally about the value and impact of national service in your community.
  • September-October
     Ideally, the House and Senate agree on the final funding numbers in September.  The final budget is signed before October 1, if possible.

    If the budget is not signed by October 1, the federal government passes a “Continuing Resolution.” The government continues to work under the previous year’s budget until appropriations for the current fiscal year are approved.