ȱ
˜—œ’Ž›Š’˜—ȱ˜ȱžŽŠ›¢ȱŽ’œ•Š’˜—ȱ
ž›’—ȱ›Žœ’Ž—’Š•ȱ›Š—œ’’˜—ȱŽŠ›œDZȱȱ›’Žȱ
ŸŽ›Ÿ’Ž ȱ
˜‹Ž›ȱ Ž’‘ȱ
™ŽŒ’Š•’œȱ’—ȱ–Ž›’ŒŠ—ȱŠ’˜—Š•ȱ ˜ŸŽ›—–Ž—ȱ
˜–˜”˜ȱ˜•’œȱ
—Š•¢œȱ˜—ȱ‘Žȱ˜—›ŽœœȱŠ—ȱ‘ŽȱŽ’œ•Š’ŸŽȱ›˜ŒŽœœȱ
ŽŒŽ–‹Ž›ȱŘŚǰȱŘŖŖŞȱ
˜—›Žœœ’˜—Š•ȱŽœŽŠ›Œ‘ȱŽ›Ÿ’ŒŽȱ
ŝȬśŝŖŖȱ
   ǯŒ›œǯ˜Ÿȱ
ŚŖŖŞśȱ
ȱŽ™˜›ȱ˜›ȱ˜—›Žœœ
Pr
epared for Members and Committees of Congress

---

˜—œ’Ž›Š’˜—ȱ˜ȱžŽŠ›¢ȱŽ’œ•Š’˜—ȱž›’—ȱ›Žœ’Ž—’Š•ȱ›Š—œ’’˜—ȱŽŠ›œȱ
ȱ
ž––Š›¢ȱ
When a presidential transition occurs, the incoming President usually submits the budget for the
upcoming fiscal year (under current practices) or revises the budget submitted by his predecessor
(under past practices). Under either circumstance, the details of the President’s budgetary
proposals typically are provided to Congress about two months later than would be the case in a
non-transition year. Consequently, concerns arise over the potential impact of delayed budget
submission on the timetable for budgetary actions taken by the House and Senate.
This report examines the timing of presidential budget submissions during the past five transition
years—including submissions by Presidents Jimmy Carter in 1977, Ronald Reagan in 1981,
George H.W. Bush in 1989, Bill Clinton in 1993, and George W. Bush in 2001—and the
timeliness of House and Senate actions in those years regarding the consideration of budgetary
measures.
The budgetary legislation typically considered by the House and Senate during a session may be
divided into several categories: budget resolutions, budget reconciliation acts, annual
appropriations and other spending acts, and revenue and debt-limit acts.
Congress and the President successfully completed action on key budgetary legislation during
each presidential transition year, with many, but not all, actions completed in a timely manner:
• in each instance, the House and Senate reached final agreement on the annual
budget resolution, and did so no later than May 21;
• the optional budget reconciliation process was invoked in four of five years,
leading to the enactment of four budget reconciliation acts;
• regular, supplemental, and continuing appropriations acts were enacted in each
year, although few (or none) of the regular appropriations acts were enacted by
October 1 (the first day of the fiscal year) in four instances;
• in each instance, a major revenue bill was enacted (three of the five bills were
reconciliation measures); and
• between one and three debt-limit measures were enacted each year, except during
the George W. Bush Administration (when no such measures were needed).

˜—›Žœœ’˜—Š•ȱŽœŽŠ›Œ‘ȱŽ›Ÿ’ŒŽȱ

---

˜—œ’Ž›Š’˜—ȱ˜ȱžŽŠ›¢ȱŽ’œ•Š’˜—ȱž›’—ȱ›Žœ’Ž—’Š•ȱ›Š—œ’’˜—ȱŽŠ›œȱ
ȱ
˜—Ž—œȱ
Background ..................................................................................................................................... 1
Presidential Submission of Transition Budgets ............................................................................... 2
Submission Requirements for Transition Budgets .................................................................... 2
Budget Submissions During the Past Five Transitions ............................................................. 3
Overview of Budgetary Actions by Administration ........................................................................ 4
Congressional Action on Major Budgetary Legislation .................................................................. 7
Budget Resolutions ................................................................................................................... 7
Budget Reconciliation Acts....................................................................................................... 7
Annual Appropriations Acts ...................................................................................................... 8
Revenue Acts............................................................................................................................. 9
Debt-Limit Acts......................................................................................................................... 9

Š‹•Žœȱ
Table 1. Overview of Timing of Budgetary Actions, by Administration......................................... 5
Table 2. Dates of House and Senate Action on First Budget Resolutions ......................................11
Table 3. Dates of House and Senate Action on Budget Reconciliation Acts................................. 12
Table 4. Dates of House and Senate Action on Supplemental Appropriations Acts...................... 13
Table 5. Dates of House and Senate Action on Regular Appropriations Acts ............................... 15
Table 6. Dates of House and Senate Action on Continuing Appropriations Acts.......................... 20
Table 7. Dates of House and Senate Action on Selected Revenue Acts ........................................ 22
Table 8. Dates of House and Senate Action on Debt-Limit Acts................................................... 23

˜—ŠŒœȱ
Author Contact Information .......................................................................................................... 25

˜—›Žœœ’˜—Š•ȱŽœŽŠ›Œ‘ȱŽ›Ÿ’ŒŽȱ

---

˜—œ’Ž›Š’˜—ȱ˜ȱžŽŠ›¢ȱŽ’œ•Š’˜—ȱž›’—ȱ›Žœ’Ž—’Š•ȱ›Š—œ’’˜—ȱŽŠ›œȱ
ȱ
When a presidential transition occurs, the incoming President usually submits the budget for the
upcoming fiscal year (under current practices) or revises the budget submitted by his predecessor
(under past practices). Under either circumstance, the details of the President’s budgetary
proposals typically are provided to Congress about two months later than would be the case in a
non-transition year. Consequently, concerns arise over the potential impact of delayed budget
submission on the timetable for budgetary actions taken by the House and Senate.
This report examines the timing of presidential budget submissions during the past five transition
years—including submissions by Presidents Jimmy Carter in 1977, Ronald Reagan in 1981,
George H.W. Bush in 1989, Bill Clinton in 1993, and George W. Bush in 2001—and the
timeliness of House and Senate actions in those years regarding the consideration of budgetary
measures.
ŠŒ”›˜ž—ȱ
When a new Congress convenes in January, one of its first orders of business is to receive the
annual budget submission of the President for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins later in the
session.1 The President’s budget consists of a set of proposals pertaining to spending, revenue,
and debt levels. In the course of responding to the President’s budget, Congress may accept,
reject, or modify the proposals as it sees fit. While much of the spending and revenue in the
federal budget is derived automatically each year from existing law, the remainder is provided
through the enactment of legislation.
The deadline for submission of the budget has changed several times over the years, as is
discussed in more detail below. Currently, the deadline is the first Monday in February.
Following receipt of the President's budget, Congress begins the consideration of the budget
resolution and other budgetary legislation. The budget resolution, which takes the form of a
concurrent resolution, reflects the agreement of the House and Senate on a budgetary “blueprint”
that guides and constrains the subsequent consideration of individual spending, revenue, and debt
measures. The consideration of significant spending, revenue, and debt measures by the House
and Senate during a session may entail action on dozens of separate measures.
In establishing and revising the deadline for submission of the President’s budget, Congress has
sought to reconcile two conflicting objectives. First, Congress is motivated to set the deadline as
early as possible in order to maximize the time available to it for completing action on the budget
resolution and other budgetary legislation before the new fiscal year begins. Although the
completion of some budgetary legislation typically carries over into the period beyond the start of
the fiscal year, the goal is to enact as much significant budgetary legislation as possible in a
timely manner.
Second, Congress also is impelled to afford the President as much time as necessary to finalize
his budget submission following the completion of legislative action in the prior session. In recent
decades, the House and Senate sometimes have not completed action on significant budgetary

1 For more information on federal budgeting, see CRS Report 98-721, Introduction to the Federal Budget Process, by
Robert Keith. The requirement that the President submit an annual budget is established by the Budget and Accounting
Act of 1921, as amended (31 U.S.C. 1105(a)).
˜—›Žœœ’˜—Š•ȱŽœŽŠ›Œ‘ȱŽ›Ÿ’ŒŽȱ
ŗȱ

---

˜—œ’Ž›Š’˜—ȱ˜ȱžŽŠ›¢ȱŽ’œ•Š’˜—ȱž›’—ȱ›Žœ’Ž—’Š•ȱ›Š—œ’’˜—ȱŽŠ›œȱ
ȱ
legislation until December; in some instances, several major bills spanning hundreds of pages
have been finalized in the last few days of the year.
Seeking to draw a balance between the two competing motivations, Congress has set the deadline
as early as the first week in January and as late as the first week in February. Under current law,
the President may submit the budget as early as the first Monday in January, but he must submit it
no later than the first Monday in February. Beginning with the FY1992 budget, Presidents have
taken advantage of the full amount of time afforded them under law and submitted their budgets
on the first Monday in February.
The Congressional Budget Act of 1974, as amended, establishes an annual timetable for
congressional action on budgetary legislation, beginning with the adoption of a budget resolution
by the House and Senate no later than April 15.2 In an effort to provide Congress with more time
to process budgetary legislation during the session, Section 501 (88 Stat. 321) of the act moved
the start of the fiscal year from July 1 to October 1. The change became effective for FY1976,
following a three-month transition quarter. The congressional budget process established by the
1974 act became fully effective in 1976 for FY1977, following a “dry run” in the prior year.
›Žœ’Ž—’Š•ȱž‹–’œœ’˜—ȱ˜ȱ›Š—œ’’˜—ȱžŽœȱ
During the period that the congressional budget process under the 1974 act has been in effect,
five persons have assumed the presidency – Jimmy Carter in 1977, Ronald Reagan in 1981,
George H.W. Bush in 1989, Bill Clinton in 1993, and George W. Bush in 2001. The requirements
for budget submission applicable to these Presidents and the record of pertinent actions is
discussed briefly below.
ž‹–’œœ’˜—ȱŽšž’›Ž–Ž—œȱ˜›ȱ›Š—œ’’˜—ȱžŽœȱ
The transition from one presidential administration to another raises special issues regarding the
annual budget submission.3 Key questions include, which President—the outgoing President or
the incoming one—is required to submit the budget, and how will the transition affect the timing
and form of the submission?
The deadline for submission of the budget, first set in 1921 as “on the first day of each regular
session,” has changed several times over the years:
• in 1950, to “during the first 15 days of each regular session”;
• in 1985, to “on or before the first Monday after January 3 of each year (or on or
before February 5 in 1986)”; and
• in 1990, to “on or after the first Monday in January but not later than the first
Monday in February of each year.”

2 The act P.L. 93-344 (Titles I-IX). The timetable is set forth in Section 300 (2 U.S.C. 631).
3 For more information on transition budgets, see CRS Report RS20752, Submission of the President's Budget in
Transition Years, by Robert Keith.
˜—›Žœœ’˜—Š•ȱŽœŽŠ›Œ‘ȱŽ›Ÿ’ŒŽȱ
Řȱ

---

˜—œ’Ž›Š’˜—ȱ˜ȱžŽŠ›¢ȱŽ’œ•Š’˜—ȱž›’—ȱ›Žœ’Ž—’Š•ȱ›Š—œ’’˜—ȱŽŠ›œȱ
ȱ
The 20th Amendment to the Constitution, ratified in 1933, requires each new Congress to convene
on January 3 (unless the date is changed by the enactment of a law) and provides a January 20
beginning date for a new President’s four-year term of office. Therefore, under the legal
framework for the beginning of a new Congress, the beginning of a new President’s term, and the
deadline for the submission of the budget, all outgoing Presidents prior to the 1990 change were
obligated to submit a budget.4 All incoming Presidents before 1990, except for Roosevelt,
Truman, and Johnson, modified their predecessor’s policies by submitting budget revisions within
a few months after taking office. The 1990 change in the deadline made it possible for an
outgoing President to leave the annual budget submission to his successor.
žŽȱž‹–’œœ’˜—œȱž›’—ȱ‘ŽȱŠœȱ’ŸŽȱ›Š—œ’’˜—œȱ
During the period covering the past five presidential transitions, the three outgoing Presidents
required to submit a budget during this period (Ford, Carter, and Reagan) did so on or before the
statutory deadline. Two of the incoming Presidents during this period, Carter and Reagan,
submitted budget revisions and one, George H. W. Bush, did not. The FY1978 revisions by
President Carter (a 101-page document) were submitted on February 22, 1977, and the FY1982
revisions by President Reagan (an initial 159-page document and a subsequent 435-page
document) were submitted on March 10 and April 7, 1981, respectively.
Because President George H. W. Bush chose not to submit a budget for FY1994 (and was not
obligated to do so), President Clinton submitted the original budget for FY1994 rather than
budget revisions. Similarly, the budget for FY2002 was submitted by the incoming President
George W. Bush, rather than by outgoing President Clinton. Presidents Clinton and George W.
Bush submitted the original budgets for FY1994 and FY2002 on April 8, 1993 and April 9, 2001,
respectively.
The experience with transition budgets during the period that the congressional budget process
has been in operation is roughly comparable, in terms of timing, with the experience of earlier
years. Presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Nixon submitted their revised budget messages to
Congress on April 30, March 24, and April 12 of their first year as President, respectively.
Although Presidents Reagan, Clinton, and George W. Bush did not submit detailed budget
proposals during their transitions until early April, each of them advised Congress regarding the
general contours of their economic and budgetary policies in special messages submitted to
Congress in February concurrently with a presentation made to a joint session of Congress:
• on February 18, 1981, President Reagan submitted a document containing an
economic plan and initial budget proposals for FY1982, America’s New
Beginning: A Program for Economic Recovery, in conjunction with an address to
a joint session of Congress.
• on February 17, 1993, President Clinton submitted to Congress a budgetary
document, A Vision of Change for America, to accompany his address to a joint

4 Additional information on this matter is provided in: CRS Report 93-672, Budget Submissions of Outgoing
Presidents, by Robert Keith (the report is archived and may be obtained from the author.) The 1990 change was made
by Section 13112(c)(1) of the Budget Enforcement Act of 1990 (104 Stat. 1388-608 and 609), which was included in
the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 (P.L. 101-508).
˜—›Žœœ’˜—Š•ȱŽœŽŠ›Œ‘ȱŽ›Ÿ’ŒŽȱ
řȱ

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˜—œ’Ž›Š’˜—ȱ˜ȱžŽŠ›¢ȱŽ’œ•Š’˜—ȱž›’—ȱ›Žœ’Ž—’Š•ȱ›Š—œ’’˜—ȱŽŠ›œȱ
ȱ
session of Congress. The 145-page document outlined the President’s economic
plan and provided initial budget proposals in key areas.
• on February 28, 2001, President George W. Bush submitted a 207-page budget
summary to Congress, A Blueprint for New Beginnings: A Responsible Budget
for America’s Priorities, the day after his address to a joint session of Congress.
Although President George H. W. Bush did not submit a revision of President Reagan’s FY1990
budget, he submitted a 193-page message to Congress (Building a Better America) in conjunction
with a joint address to Congress on February 9, 1989. The message included revised budget
proposals.
ŸŽ›Ÿ’Ž ȱ˜ȱžŽŠ›¢ȱŒ’˜—œȱ‹¢ȱ–’—’œ›Š’˜—ȱ
In a typical year, the unfolding of the federal budget process reflects both instances of
cooperation and instances of conflict between the President and Congress (as well as between the
House and the Senate, and between factions within each chamber). Cooperation promotes timely
and successful action on budgetary legislation, while conflict leads to delay and ultimately may
prevent the enactment of such legislation.
In order to fully advance his budgetary agenda, a President must reach agreement with Congress
on legislation in several different phases of the budget process. Congress responds to the
President’s budgetary proposals by adopting an annual budget resolution, and then implements
budget resolution policies through the enactment of separate spending, revenue, and debt
legislation.
No President can be judged to be successful with respect to his budgetary agenda unless the
House and Senate complete action on the requisite legislation, with timely rather than tardy
enactment of legislation usually signifying greater success.
Table 1 summarizes legislative action on the major phases of the budget process during the past
five transition years. As Table 1shows, Congress and the President successfully completed action
on key budgetary legislation during each presidential transition year, with many, but not all,
actions completed in a timely manner:
• in each instance, the House and Senate reached final agreement on the annual
budget resolution, and did so no later than May 21;
• the optional budget reconciliation process was invoked in four of five years,
leading to the enactment of four budget reconciliation acts;
• regular, supplemental, and continuing appropriations acts were enacted in each
year, although few (or none) of the regular appropriations acts were enacted by
October 1 (the first day of the fiscal year) in four instances;
• in each instance, a major revenue bill was enacted (three of the five bills were
reconciliation measures); and
• between one and three debt-limit measures were enacted each year, except during
the George W. Bush Administration (when no such measures were needed).

˜—›Žœœ’˜—Š•ȱŽœŽŠ›Œ‘ȱŽ›Ÿ’ŒŽȱ
Śȱ

---

ȱ
Table 1. Overview of Timing of Budgetary Actions, by Administration

Budget
Transition
Budget
Reconciliation
Selected
Debt-Limit
President
Budget
Resolution
Act Annual
Appropriations
Acts
Revenue Act
Act(s)
Carter
02-22-1977
May 17
[none]
10 regular appropriations acts enacted by October 1; latest
05-23-1977 10-04-1977
enacted on October 21.
3 continuing resolutions enacted.
4 supplemental appropriations acts enacted in February,
March, and May (two acts).

Reagan 03-10-1981
and
May 21
08-13-1981
No regular appropriations acts enacted by October 1; latest
08-13-1981
02-07-1981 and
04-07-1981
enacted on December 29.
09-30-1981 (two
3 continuing resolutions enacted.
acts)
2 supplemental appropriations acts enacted in June and July.

G.H.W. Bush
[none]
May 18
12-19-1989
1 regular appropriations act enacted by October 1; latest
12-19-1989
08-08-1989 and
enacted on November 21.
11-08-1989
3 continuing resolutions enacted.
3 supplemental appropriations acts enacted in April, June, and
September.

Clinton
04-08-1993
April 1
08-10-1993
2 regular appropriations acts enacted by October 1; latest
08-10-1993
04-06-1993 and
enacted on November 11.
08-10-1993
3 continuing resolutions enacted.
4 supplemental appropriations acts enacted in April, July,
August, and September.
Ȭśȱ

---

ȱ
Budget
Transition
Budget
Reconciliation
Selected
Debt-Limit
President
Budget
Resolution
Act Annual
Appropriations
Acts
Revenue Act
Act(s)
G.W. Bush
04-09-2001
May 10
06-07-2001
No regular appropriations acts enacted by October 1; latest
06-07-2001 [none]
enacted on January 10 of following year.
8 continuing resolutions enacted.
2 supplemental appropriations acts enacted in July and
September.
Source: Prepared by the Congressional Research Service.
Notes: Dates refer to: (1) date transition budget submitted to Congress; (2) date of final adoption of the budget resolution; or (3) date of enactment of legislation into law.
In the case of the September 1993 supplemental appropriations act, supplemental appropriations were provided in a separate title of the Foreign Operations
Appropriations Act for FY1994.
ȬŜȱ

---

˜—œ’Ž›Š’˜—ȱ˜ȱžŽŠ›¢ȱŽ’œ•Š’˜—ȱž›’—ȱ›Žœ’Ž—’Š•ȱ›Š—œ’’˜—ȱŽŠ›œȱ
ȱ
˜—›Žœœ’˜—Š•ȱŒ’˜—ȱ˜—ȱŠ“˜›ȱžŽŠ›¢ȱ
Ž’œ•Š’˜—ȱ
The budgetary legislation typically considered by the House and Senate during a session may be
divided into several categories: budget resolutions, budget reconciliation acts, annual
appropriations and other spending acts, and revenue and debt-limit acts. Information on the
timing of House and Senate action on budgetary measures during each of the past five transition
years is provided below by category of legislation.
žŽȱŽœ˜•ž’˜—œȱ
The Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 (P.L. 93-344, as amended)
requires that the House and Senate reach agreement each year on a concurrent resolution on the
budget.5 Originally, the act set a deadline of May 15 for completion of action on the budget
resolution; in 1985, the deadline was revised to April 15. During the period from 1984 through
1990, actions on several budget resolutions was not completed until August or October. In four
instances, the House and Senate were not able to reach agreement on a budget resolution.6
As Table 2 (at the end of the report) shows, the House and Senate reached final agreement on a
budget resolution in each of the five transition years. In four years, final agreement was reached
in May (no later than May 21). During the first year of the Clinton Administration, the two
chambers reached agreement even earlier, on April 1. In this case, the agreement on the budget
resolution was reached a week before President Clinton submitted his budget to Congress, but
extensive negotiations between Congress and the President ensured that the budget resolution
accommodated his major budgetary proposals.
žŽȱŽŒ˜—Œ’•’Š’˜—ȱŒœȱ
The budget reconciliation process is an optional procedure under the Congressional Budget and
Impoundment Control Act of 1974 that operates as an adjunct to the annual budget resolution
process. The chief purpose of the reconciliation process is to enhance Congress’s ability to
change current law in order to bring revenue and spending levels into conformity with the
policies of the budget resolution. Accordingly, reconciliation probably is the most potent budget
enforcement tool available to Congress for a large portion of the budget.
Reconciliation was first used by the House and Senate in calendar year 1980 for FY1981. As an
optional procedure, it has not been used every year. During the period from 1980 to 2008, 19
reconciliation measures were enacted into law and three were vetoed.

5 During the early years of the congressional budget process, the House and Senate were required to adopt a second
budget resolution in the fall. The practice was abandoned during the 1980s. This report excludes House and Senate
action on second budget resolutions in 1977 (for FY1978) and 1981 (for FY1982).
6 For more information on this topic, see CRS Report RL31443, The "Deeming Resolution": A Budget Enforcement
Tool, by Robert Keith.
˜—›Žœœ’˜—Š•ȱŽœŽŠ›Œ‘ȱŽ›Ÿ’ŒŽȱ
ŝȱ

---

˜—œ’Ž›Š’˜—ȱ˜ȱžŽŠ›¢ȱŽ’œ•Š’˜—ȱž›’—ȱ›Žœ’Ž—’Š•ȱ›Š—œ’’˜—ȱŽŠ›œȱ
ȱ
The congressional budget process timetable prescribes June 15 as the deadline for completing
action on any required reconciliation legislation, but there is no explicit requirement to that effect.
The record of experience with all 22 reconciliation measures passed by the House and Senate
since 1980 indicates considerable variation in the time needed to process such measures. The
interval from the date the reconciliation instructions take effect (upon final adoption of the budget
resolution) until the resultant reconciliation legislation is approved or vetoed by the President
ranged from a low of 27 days (for the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990) to a high of
384 days (for the Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005). On average, the
process was completed in nearly five months, more than twice the amount of time contemplated
by the congressional budget process timetable.
With respect to the five transition years, Table 3 (at the end of the report) shows that
reconciliation was used in four of the five instances. Reconciliation was not used during the
Carter transition. In three instances, an omnibus budget reconciliation act was enacted into law
between the spring and the summer recess. In 1989, an omnibus budget reconciliation was
enacted late in the session, on November 22.
——žŠ•ȱ™™›˜™›’Š’˜—œȱŒœȱ
Total federal spending encompasses discretionary spending, which is provided in annual
appropriations acts under the jurisdiction of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees,
and mandatory spending, which stems from substantive law under the jurisdiction of the
legislative committees of the House and Senate. This section provides information on the three
categories of annual appropriations legislation—regular, supplemental, and continuing
appropriations acts; information on mandatory spending legislation is excluded.
Under the congressional budget process timetable, the House and Senate begin consideration of
the regular appropriations acts following the adoption of the budget resolution with the aim of
completing action on them by the start of the fiscal year on October 1. In addition, the two
chambers act on at least one supplemental appropriations act, typically before consideration of the
regular appropriations acts begins. Finally, the House and Senate usually consider at least one
continuing resolution to provide stop-gap funding after the start of the fiscal year until action on
all of the regular appropriations acts is completed.
During the period that the congressional budget process has been in effect, the House and Senate
have completed action on the regular appropriations acts before the start of the year only four
times (for FY1977, FY1989, FY1995, and FY1997); action on unfinished regular appropriations
acts usually is completed by the end of the calendar year, but sometimes carries over into the
following session. Accordingly, multiple continuing resolutions are enacted in a typical year.
Table 4, Table 5, and Table 6 (at the end of the report) provide information regarding
congressional action on supplemental, regular, and continuing appropriations acts, respectively.
Table 4 shows that a total of 15 supplemental appropriations acts were enacted during the five
transition years, ranging from two to four such acts each year. All but four of the acts were
enacted between February and July; one was enacted in August and three were enacted in
September.
Table 5 shows that while all thirteen of the regular appropriations bills were enacted during the
transition years of the Carter, George H.W. Bush, Clinton, and George W. Bush administrations,
˜—›Žœœ’˜—Š•ȱŽœŽŠ›Œ‘ȱŽ›Ÿ’ŒŽȱ
Şȱ

---

˜—œ’Ž›Š’˜—ȱ˜ȱžŽŠ›¢ȱŽ’œ•Š’˜—ȱž›’—ȱ›Žœ’Ž—’Š•ȱ›Š—œ’’˜—ȱŽŠ›œȱ
ȱ
and nine of the thirteen were enacted during the transition year of the Reagan administration, not
all of this was accomplished in the prescribed timeframe. During the Carter administration, 10
appropriations acts were enacted by October 1, but the during the other administrations, the
number enacted by this date were none (Reagan, G.W. Bush), one (G.H.W. Bush), or two
(Clinton). While the appropriations process was completed under most administrations by the end
of the calendar year, the process extended into January under the G.W. Bush administration.
Table 6 shows that continuing appropriations acts were used in transition years during all five
administrations. Under the Carter, Regan, G.H.W. Bush, and Clinton administrations, three
continuing resolutions were enacted each year, while under the G.W. Bush administration eight
continuing resolutions were enacted. In the case of the G.W. Bush administration, the final
continuing resolution, enacted December 20, provided funding into January, when the last of his
regular appropriations acts were completed.
ŽŸŽ—žŽȱŒœȱ
As required by the Constitution, legislation affecting revenues originates in the House of
Representatives, but the Senate has latitude to amend any revenue bills received from the House.
Most laws that establish revenue sources are permanent and continue each year without
legislative action, but in most years, Presidents propose changes in revenue law to alter tax rates,
modify the distribution of the tax burden, or make other changes in revenue policy.
Revenue acts can also be initiated through the reconciliation process provided for in the
Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974. The act provides for the adoption
of a budget resolution (discussed above), which may contain reconciliation directives instructing
the relevant congressional committees to report changes to existing revenue legislation to meet
the recommended levels of revenues. The reconciliation process was used to enact revenue
legislation under the G.H.W. Bush, Clinton, and G.W. Bush administrations.
The timing of action on major revenue legislation may vary considerably from one measure to the
next. Some revenue measures may be enacted after only a few months of consideration, while the
enactment of other revenue measures may not occur until well into the following year. This
pattern also holds true for revenue measures considered under the reconciliation process.
Table 7 illustrates that a major revenue measure was enacted into law during the transition year
of each of the five administrations. Three of these revenue acts, under G.H.W. Bush, Clinton, and
G.W. Bush, were reconciliation measures. Congressional action was fairly timely in four instances
(with enactment occurring between May and August), but the 1989 legislation (under President
G.H.W. Bush) was not enacted until November 22.
Ž‹Ȭ’–’ȱŒœȱ
Almost all borrowing by the federal government is conducted by the Treasury Department, within
the restrictions established by a single, statutory limit on the total amount of debt that may be
outstanding at any time. Most adjustments to the debt limit have been increases, but sometimes
the change has been a reduction.7

7 For a detailed discussion of this matter, see CRS Report RS21519, Legislative Procedures for Adjusting the Public
(continued...)
˜—›Žœœ’˜—Š•ȱŽœŽŠ›Œ‘ȱŽ›Ÿ’ŒŽȱ
şȱ

---

˜—œ’Ž›Š’˜—ȱ˜ȱžŽŠ›¢ȱŽ’œ•Š’˜—ȱž›’—ȱ›Žœ’Ž—’Š•ȱ›Š—œ’’˜—ȱŽŠ›œȱ
ȱ
The annual budget resolution includes recommended levels of the public debt limit for each fiscal
year covered by the resolution. Because a budget resolution does not become law, Congress and
the President must enact legislation in order to implement budget resolution policies. The House
and Senate may develop and consider legislation adjusting the debt limit in any one of three
ways: (1) under regular legislative procedures in both chambers, either as freestanding legislation
or as a part of a measure dealing with other topics; (2) pursuant to House Rule XXVII (the so-
called Gephardt rule); or (3) as part of the budget reconciliation process provided for under the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974. During the period from 1940 to the present, Congress and the
President have enacted a total of 88 measures adjusting the public debt limit—70 under regular
legislative procedures in both chambers, 14 under the Gephardt rule, and 4 under reconciliation
procedures.
The timing of legislative action on measures adjusting the debt limit is not as predictable as the
timing of action on other types of budgetary legislation. Legislative action can occur at any point
in the session as the need to adjust the debt limit requires.
Table 8 shows that between one and three debt limit measures were enacted during each
transition year, except during the G.W. Bush administration. All three methods of adjusting the
debt limit were employed, but only one of the measures (in 1993 during the Clinton transition
year) was a reconciliation act.

(...continued)
Debt Limit: A Brief Overview, by Bill Heniff Jr.
˜—›Žœœ’˜—Š•ȱŽœŽŠ›Œ‘ȱŽ›Ÿ’ŒŽȱ
ŗŖȱ

---

˜—œ’Ž›Š’˜—ȱ˜ȱžŽŠ›¢ȱŽ’œ•Š’˜—ȱž›’—ȱ›Žœ’Ž—’Š•ȱ›Š—œ’’˜—ȱŽŠ›œȱ
ȱ
Table 2. Dates of House and Senate Action on First Budget Resolutions
Calendar Years 1977, 1981, 1989, 1993, and 2001
Date House Date Senate
Date of Initial Date of Initial
Agreed to
Agreed to
Calendar
House
Senate
Conference
Conference
Measure
Year
Passage
Passage
Report
Report
President Jimmy Carter
First Budget Resolution
1977
May 5
May 4
May 17
May 13
for FY1978 (S.Con.Res.
19)
President Ronald Reagan
First Budget Resolution
1981
May 7
May 12
May 20
May 21
for FY1982 (H.Con.Res.
115)
President George H.W. Bush
Budget Resolution for
1989
May 4
May 4
May 17
May 18
FY1990 (H.Con.Res.
106)
President Bill Clinton
Budget Resolution for
1993
March 18
March 25
March 31
April 1
FY1994 (H.ConRes. 64)
President George W. Bush
Budget Resolution for
2001
March 28
April 6
May 9
May 10
FY2002 (H.Con.Res. 83)
Source: CRS Report RL30297, Congressional Budget Resolutions: Selected Statistics and Information Guide, by Bill
Heniff Jr. and Justin Murray.
Notes: During the early years of the congressional budget process, the House and Senate were required to
adopt a second budget resolution in the fall. The practice was abandoned during the 1980s. This table excludes
House and Senate action on second budget resolutions in 1977 (for FY1978) and 1981 (for FY1982). In some
instances, dates of initial Senate passage refer to action on a companion measure.

˜—›Žœœ’˜—Š•ȱŽœŽŠ›Œ‘ȱŽ›Ÿ’ŒŽȱ
ŗŗȱ

---

˜—œ’Ž›Š’˜—ȱ˜ȱžŽŠ›¢ȱŽ’œ•Š’˜—ȱž›’—ȱ›Žœ’Ž—’Š•ȱ›Š—œ’’˜—ȱŽŠ›œȱ
ȱ
Table 3. Dates of House and Senate Action on Budget Reconciliation Acts
Calendar Years 1977, 1981, 1989, 1993, and 2001
Date House Date Senate
Date of Initial Date of Initial
Agreed to
Agreed to
Calendar
House
Senate
Conference
Conference
Measure
Year
Passage
Passage
Report
Report
President Jimmy Carter
[none]
1977
— — — —
President Ronald Reagan
Omnibus Budget
1981
June 26
June 25
July 31
July 31
Reconciliation Act of
1981 (P.L. 97-35; August
13, 1981)
President George H.W. Bush
Omnibus Budget
1989
October 5
October 13
November 22
November 22
Reconciliation Act of
1989 (P.L. 101-239;
December 19, 1989)
President Bill Clinton
Omnibus Budget
1993
May 27
June 25
August 5
August 6
Reconciliation Act of
1993 (P.L. 103-66;
August 10, 1993)
President George W. Bush
Economic Growth and
2001
May 16
May 23
May 26
May 26
Tax Relief Reconciliation
Act of 2001 (P.L. 107-
16; June 7, 2001)
Source: CRS Report RL33030, The Budget Reconciliation Process: House and Senate Procedures, by Robert Keith
and Bill Heniff Jr.
Notes: The 1989, 1993, and 2001 reconciliation acts included revenue changes and also are included in . In
addition, the 1993 reconciliation act included an increase in the debt limit and also is included in Table 8. In
some instances, dates of initial Senate passage refer to action on a companion measure.
˜—›Žœœ’˜—Š•ȱŽœŽŠ›Œ‘ȱŽ›Ÿ’ŒŽȱ
ŗŘȱ

---

˜—œ’Ž›Š’˜—ȱ˜ȱžŽŠ›¢ȱŽ’œ•Š’˜—ȱž›’—ȱ›Žœ’Ž—’Š•ȱ›Š—œ’’˜—ȱŽŠ›œȱ
ȱ
Table 4. Dates of House and Senate Action on Supplemental Appropriations Acts
Calendar Years 1977, 1981, 1989, 1993, and 2001
Date House Date Senate
Date of Initial Date of Initial
Agreed to
Agreed to
Calendar
House
Senate
Conference
Conference
Measure
Year
Passage
Passage
Report
Report
President Jimmy Carter
Urgent Power
1977
February 7
February 7
—
—
Supplemental, FY1977
(P.L. 95-3; February 16,
1977)
Urgent Disaster
1977
March 3
March 11
—
—
Supplemental, FY1977
(P.L. 95-13; March 21,
1977)
Supplemental, FY1977
1977
March 16
April 1
April 21
April 22
(P.L. 95-26; May 4,
1977)
Economic Stimulus
1977
March 15
May 2
May 4
May 5
Appropriations, FY1977
(P.L. 95-29; May 13,
1977)
President Ronald Reagan
Supplemental
1981
May 13
May 21
June 4
June 4
Appropriations and
Rescission Act, FY1981
(P.L. 97-12; June 5,
1981)
Urgent Supplemental,
1981
July 23
July 23
—
—
FY1981 (P.L. 97-26; July
29, 1981)
President George H.W. Bush
Act to Implement the
1989
April 13
April 13
—
—
Bipartisan Accord on
Central America (P.L.
101-14; April 18, 1989)
Dire Emergency
1989
May 18
May 18
—
—
Supplemental, FY1989
(P.L. 101-45; June 30,
1989)
Continuing
1989
September 26
September 28
—
—
Appropriations, FY1990,
and Hurricane Hugo
Relief, FY1989 (P.L. 101-
100; September 29,
1989)
˜—›Žœœ’˜—Š•ȱŽœŽŠ›Œ‘ȱŽ›Ÿ’ŒŽȱ
ŗřȱ

---

˜—œ’Ž›Š’˜—ȱ˜ȱžŽŠ›¢ȱŽ’œ•Š’˜—ȱž›’—ȱ›Žœ’Ž—’Š•ȱ›Š—œ’’˜—ȱŽŠ›œȱ
ȱ

Date House
Date Senate
Date of Initial
Date of Initial
Agreed to
Agreed to
Calendar
House
Senate
Conference
Conference
Measure
Year
Passage
Passage
Report
Report
President Bill Clinton
Emergency
1993
March 19
April 21
—
—
Supplemental, FY1994
(P.L. 103-24; April 23,
1993)
Supplemental, FY1993
1993
May 26
June 22
July 1
July 1
(P.L. 103-50; July 2,
1993)
Emergency
1993 July
27 August
4 —
—
Supplemental, FY1993
(P.L. 103-75; August 12,
1993)
Foreign Operations,
1993
June 17
September 23
September 29
September 30
FY1994 (Title VI,
Supplemental, FY1993)
(P.L. 103-87; September
30, 1993)
President George W. Bush
Supplemental, FY2001
2001
June 20
July 10
July 20
July 20
(P.L. 107-20; July 24,
2001)
Emergency
2001
September 14
September 14
—
—
Supplemental, FY2001
(P.L. 107-38; September
18, 2001)
Source: Legislative Information System and Congressional Budget Office, Supplemental Appropriations in the
1970s (July 1981), Supplemental Appropriations in the 1980s (February 1990), Supplemental Appropriations in the
1990s (March 2001), and Supplemental Appropriations from 2000 to 2009 (October 2008).
Notes: In some instances, dates of initial Senate passage refer to action on a companion measure. In instances
where no conference action occurred, either one chamber passed the measure from the other chamber without
amendment, or the two chambers resolved their differences by means of an “exchange of amendments”
procedure rather than a conference.
˜—›Žœœ’˜—Š•ȱŽœŽŠ›Œ‘ȱŽ›Ÿ’ŒŽȱ
ŗŚȱ

---

˜—œ’Ž›Š’˜—ȱ˜ȱžŽŠ›¢ȱŽ’œ•Š’˜—ȱž›’—ȱ›Žœ’Ž—’Š•ȱ›Š—œ’’˜—ȱŽŠ›œȱ
ȱ
Table 5. Dates of House and Senate Action on Regular Appropriations Acts
Calendar Years 1977, 1981, 1989, 1993, and 2001
Date House Date Senate
Date of Initial Date of Initial
Agreed to
Agreed to
Calendar
House
Senate
Conference
Conference
Measure
Year
Passage
Passage
Report
Report
President Jimmy Carter
Agriculture, FY1978
1977
June 21
June 29
July 27
July 29
(P.L. 95-97; August 12,
1977)
Defense, FY1978 (P.L.
1977
June 30
July 19
September 8
September 9
95-111; September 21,
1977)
District of Columbia,
1977
September 16
October 4
May 16
May 23
FY1978 (P.L. 95-288;
(1978)
(1978)
June 5, 1978)
Foreign Assistance,
1977
June 23
August 5
October 18
October 19
FY1978 (P.L. 95-148;
October 31, 1977)
Interior, FY1978 (P.L.
1977
June 9
June 17
July 12
July 13
95-74; July 26, 1977)
HUD, FY1978 (P.L. 95-
1977
June 15
June 24
July 19
September 23
119; October 4, 1977)
Labor, HEW, FY1978
1977
June 17
June 29
—a November
3
(H.R. 7555)
Legislative Branch (P.L.
1977
June 29
July 18
July 26
July 26
95-94; August 5, 1977)
Military Construction,
1977
June 21
June 29
August 5
August 5
FY1978 (P.L. 95-101;
August 15, 1977)
Public Works (P.L. 95-
1977
June 14
July 13
July 25
July 25
96; August 7, 1977)
State, Justice (P.L. 95-86;
1977
June 13
June 24
July 18
July 19
August 2, 1977)
Transportation (P.L. 95-
1977
June 8
June 23
July 18
July 20
85; August 2, 1977)
Treasury, Postal (P.L.
1977
June 8
June 20
July 14
July 14
95-81; July 31, 1977)
President Ronald Reagan
Agriculture, FY1982
1981
July 27
October 30
December 15
December 15
(P.L. 97-103; December
23, 1981)
Commerce, Justice,
1981 September
9 —b
—b
—b
State, FY1982 (H.R.
4169)
˜—›Žœœ’˜—Š•ȱŽœŽŠ›Œ‘ȱŽ›Ÿ’ŒŽȱ
ŗśȱ

---

˜—œ’Ž›Š’˜—ȱ˜ȱžŽŠ›¢ȱŽ’œ•Š’˜—ȱž›’—ȱ›Žœ’Ž—’Š•ȱ›Š—œ’’˜—ȱŽŠ›œȱ
ȱ
Date House
Date Senate
Date of Initial
Date of Initial
Agreed to
Agreed to
Calendar
House
Senate
Conference
Conference
Measure
Year
Passage
Passage
Report
Report
Defense, FY1982 (P.L.
1981
November 18
December 4
December 15
December 15
97-114; December 29,
1981)
District of Columbia,
1981
September 22
October 30
November 18
November 19
FY1982 (P.L. 97-91;
December 4, 1981)
Energy and Water,
1981
July 24
November 5
November 20
November 21
FY1982 (P.L. 97-88;
December 4, 1981)
Foreign Assistance,
1981
December 11
December 11
December 16
December 16
FY1982 (P.L. 97-121;
December 29, 1981)
HUD, FY1982 (P.L. 97-
1981
July 21
July 30
September 15
November 21
101; December 23,
1981)
Interior, FY1982 (P.L.
1981
July 22
October 27
November 12
December 10
97-100; December 23,
1981)
Labor, Health,
1981 October
6 —b
—b
—b
Education, FY1982 (H.R.
4560)
Legislative Branch,
1981
[not considered by either chamber]
FY1982 (H.R. 4120)
Military Construction,
1981
September 16
December 4
December 15
December 15
FY1982 (P.L. 97-106;
December 23, 1981)
Transportation, FY1982
1981
September 10
November 3
December 14
December 14
(P.L. 97-102; December
23, 1981)
Treasury, FY1982 (H.R.
1981 July
30 —c
—c
—c
4121)
President George H.W. Bush
Agriculture, FY1990
1989
July 18
July 27
November 16
November 16
(P.L. 101-161;
November 21, 1989)
Commerce, Justice,
1989
August 1
September 29
November 7
November 8
State, Judiciary, FY1990
(second report) (second report)
(P.L. 101-162;
November 21, 1989)
Defense, FY1990 (P.L.
1989
August 4
September 29
November 15
November 17
101-165; November 21,
1989)
District of Columbia,
1989 August
3 September
14 —d
—d
FY1990 (P.L. 101-168;
November 21, 1989)
˜—›Žœœ’˜—Š•ȱŽœŽŠ›Œ‘ȱŽ›Ÿ’ŒŽȱ
ŗŜȱ

---

˜—œ’Ž›Š’˜—ȱ˜ȱžŽŠ›¢ȱŽ’œ•Š’˜—ȱž›’—ȱ›Žœ’Ž—’Š•ȱ›Š—œ’’˜—ȱŽŠ›œȱ
ȱ
Date House
Date Senate
Date of Initial
Date of Initial
Agreed to
Agreed to
Calendar
House
Senate
Conference
Conference
Measure
Year
Passage
Passage
Report
Report
Energy and Water,
1989
June 28
July 27
September 12
September 14
FY1990 (P.L. 101-101;
September 29, 1989)
Foreign Operations,
1989
July 21
September 26
—d
—d
FY1990 (P.L. 101-167;
November 21, 1989)
Interior, FY1990 (P.L.
1989
July 12
July 26
October 3
October 7
101-121; October 23,
1989)
Labor, HHS, Education,
1989 August
2 September
26 —d
—d
FY1990 (P.L. 101-166;
November 21, 1989)
Legislative Branch,
1989
July 31
September 7
September 28
November 1
FY1990 (P.L. 101-163;
November 21, 1989)
Military Construction,
1989
July 31
September 15
October 26
October 27
FY1990 (P.L. 101-148;
November 10, 1989)
Transportation, FY1990
1989
August 3
September 27
October 31
November 9
(P.L. 101-164;
November 21, 1989)
Treasury, Postal,
1989
July 28
August 4
October 17
October 18
FY1990 (P.L. 101-136;
November 3, 1989)
VA, HUD, FY1990 (P.L.
1989
July 20
September 28
October 24
October 27
101-144; November 9,
1989)
President Bill Clinton
Agriculture, FY1994
1993
June 29
July 27
August 6
September 23
(P.L. 103-111; October
21, 1993)
Commerce, Justice,
1993
July 20
July 29
October 19
October 21
State, Judiciary, FY1994
(P.L. 103-121; October
27, 1993)
Defense, FY1994 (P.L.
1993
September 30
October 21
November 10
November 10
103-139; November 11,
1993)
District of Columbia,
1993
June 30
July 27
October 27
October 27
FY1994 (P.L. 103-127;
October 29, 1993)
Energy and Water,
1993
June 24
September 30
October 26
October 27
FY1994 (P.L. 103-126;
October 28, 1993)
˜—›Žœœ’˜—Š•ȱŽœŽŠ›Œ‘ȱŽ›Ÿ’ŒŽȱ
ŗŝȱ

---

˜—œ’Ž›Š’˜—ȱ˜ȱžŽŠ›¢ȱŽ’œ•Š’˜—ȱž›’—ȱ›Žœ’Ž—’Š•ȱ›Š—œ’’˜—ȱŽŠ›œȱ
ȱ
Date House
Date Senate
Date of Initial
Date of Initial
Agreed to
Agreed to
Calendar
House
Senate
Conference
Conference
Measure
Year
Passage
Passage
Report
Report
Foreign Operations,
1993
June 17
September 23
September 29
September 30
FY1994 (P.L. 103-87;
September 30, 1993)
Interior, FY1994 (P.L.
1993
July 15
September 15
October 20
November 9
103-138; November 11,
1993)
Labor, HHS, Education,
1993
June 30
September 29
October 7
October 18
FY1994 (P.L. 103-112;
October 21, 1993)
Legislative Branch,
1993
June 10
July 23
August 6
August 6
FY1994 (P.L. 103-69;
August 11, 1993)
Military Construction,
1993
June 23
September 30
October 13
October 19
FY1994 (P.L. 103-110;
October 21, 1993)
Transportation,FY1994
1993
September 23
October 6
October 21
October 21
(P.L. 103-122; October
27, 1993)
Treasury, Postal,
1993
June 22
August 3
September 29
October 26
FY1994 (P.L. 103-123;
October 28, 1993)
VA, HUD, FY1994 (P.L.
1993
June 29
September 22
October 19
October 21
103-124; October 28,
1993)
President George W. Bush
Agriculture, FY2002
2001
July 11
October 25
November 13
November 15
(P.L. 107-76; November
28, 2001)
Commerce, Justice,
2001
July 18
September 13
November 14
November 15
State, Judiciary, FY2002
(P.L. 107-77; November
28, 2001)
Defense, FY2002 (P.L.
2001
November 28
December 7
December 20
December 20
107-117; January 10,
2002)
District of Columbia,
2001
September 25
November 7
December 6
December 7
FY2002 (P.L. 107-96;
December 21, 2001)
Energy and Water,
2001
June 28
July 19
November 1
November 1
FY2002 (P.L. 107-66;
November 12, 2001)
Foreign Operations,
2001
July 24
October 24
December 19
December 20
FY2002 (P.L. 107-115;
January 10, 2002)
˜—›Žœœ’˜—Š•ȱŽœŽŠ›Œ‘ȱŽ›Ÿ’ŒŽȱ
ŗŞȱ

---

˜—œ’Ž›Š’˜—ȱ˜ȱžŽŠ›¢ȱŽ’œ•Š’˜—ȱž›’—ȱ›Žœ’Ž—’Š•ȱ›Š—œ’’˜—ȱŽŠ›œȱ
ȱ
Date House
Date Senate
Date of Initial
Date of Initial
Agreed to
Agreed to
Calendar
House
Senate
Conference
Conference
Measure
Year
Passage
Passage
Report
Report
Interior, FY2002 (P.L.
2001
June 21
July 12
October 17
October 17
107-63; November 5,
2001)
Labor, HHS, Education,
2001
October 11
November 6
December 19
December 20
FY2002 (P.L. 107-116;
January 10, 2002)
Legislative Branch,
2001
July 31
July 19
November 1
November 1
FY2002 (P.L. 107-68;
November 12, 2001)
Military Construction,
2001
September 21
September 26
October 17
October 18
FY2002 (P.L. 107-64;
November 5, 2001)
Transportation, FY2002
2001
June 26
August 1
November 30
December 4
(P.L. 107-87; December
18, 2001)
Treasury, Postal,
2001
July 25
September 19
October 31
November 1
FY2002 (P.L. 107-67;
November 12, 2001)
VA, HUD, FY2002 (P.L.
2001
July 31
August 2
November 8
November 8
107-73; November 26,
2001)
Source: Legislative Information System and Calendars of the House of Representatives.
Notes: In some instances, dates of initial Senate passage refer to action on a companion measure. In instances
where no conference action occurred, either one chamber passed the measure from the other chamber without
amendment, or the two chambers resolved their differences by means of an “exchange of amendments”
procedure rather than a conference.
a. The Senate agreed to a third conference report on the measure on November 3; the House did not agree
to the conference report and further actions to resolve the differences between the two chambers on the
bill were not successful.
b. The Senate did not consider the bill and no further action occurred.
c. The Senate considered, but did not pass, the bill and no further action occurred.
d. Following unsuccessful action on initial version(s) of the act, a subsequent measure was passed in identical
form by the two chambers, obviating the need for a conference.
˜—›Žœœ’˜—Š•ȱŽœŽŠ›Œ‘ȱŽ›Ÿ’ŒŽȱ
ŗşȱ

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˜—œ’Ž›Š’˜—ȱ˜ȱžŽŠ›¢ȱŽ’œ•Š’˜—ȱž›’—ȱ›Žœ’Ž—’Š•ȱ›Š—œ’’˜—ȱŽŠ›œȱ
ȱ
Table 6. Dates of House and Senate Action on Continuing Appropriations Acts
Calendar Years 1977, 1981, 1989, 1993, and 2001
Date House Date Senate
Date of Initial Date of Initial
Agreed to
Agreed to
Calendar
House
Senate
Conference
Conference
Measure
Year
Passage
Passage
Report
Report
President Jimmy Carter
Continuing
1977
October 13
October 13
—
—
Appropriations for
FY1978 (P.L. 95-130;
October 13, 1977)
Further Continuing
1977
November 3
November 4
—
—
Appropriations for
FY1978 (P.L. 95-165;
November 9, 1977)
Further Continuing
1977
December 6
December 6
—
—
Appropriations for
FY1978 (P.L. 95-205;
December 9, 1977)
President Ronald Reagan
Continuing
1981
September 16
September 25
September 30
September 30
Appropriations for
FY1982 (P.L. 97-51;
October 1, 1981)
Further Continuing
1981
November 23
November 23
—
—
Appropriations for
FY1982 (P.L. 97-85;
November 23, 1981)
Further Continuing
1981
December 10
December 11
—
—
Appropriations for
FY1982 (P.L. 97-92;
December 15, 1981)
President George H.W. Bush
Continuing
1989
September 26
September 28
—
—
Appropriations for
FY1990 (P.L. 101-100;
September 29, 1989)
Further Continuing
1989
October 24
October 25
—
—
Appropriations for
FY1990 (P.L. 101-130;
October 26, 1989)
Further Continuing
1989
November 15
November 15
—
—
Appropriations for
FY1990 (P.L. 101-154;
November 15, 1989)
President Bill Clinton
Continuing
1993
September 29
September 29
—
—
Appropriations for
FY1994 (P.L. 103-88;
September 30, 1993)
˜—›Žœœ’˜—Š•ȱŽœŽŠ›Œ‘ȱŽ›Ÿ’ŒŽȱ
ŘŖȱ

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˜—œ’Ž›Š’˜—ȱ˜ȱžŽŠ›¢ȱŽ’œ•Š’˜—ȱž›’—ȱ›Žœ’Ž—’Š•ȱ›Š—œ’’˜—ȱŽŠ›œȱ
ȱ
Date House
Date Senate
Date of Initial
Date of Initial
Agreed to
Agreed to
Calendar
House
Senate
Conference
Conference
Measure
Year
Passage
Passage
Report
Report
Further Continuing
1993
October 21
October 21
—
—
Appropriations for
FY1994 (P.L. 103-113;
October 21, 1993)
Further Continuing
1993
October 28
October 28
—
—
Appropriations for
FY1994 (P.L. 103-128;
October 29, 1993)
President George W. Bush
Continuing
2001
September 24
September 25
—
—
Appropriations for
FY2002 (P.L. 107-44;
September 28, 2001)
Further Continuing
2001
October 11
October 12
—
—
Appropriations for
FY2002 (P.L. 107-48;
October 12, 2001)
Further Continuing
2001
October 17
October 17
—
—
Appropriations for
FY2002 (P.L. 107-53;
October 22, 2001)
Further Continuing
2001
October 25
October 25
—
—
Appropriations for
FY2002 (P.L. 107-58;
October 31, 2001)
Further Continuing
2001
November 15
November 15
—
—
Appropriations for
FY2002 (P.L. 107-70;
November 17, 2001)
Further Continuing
2001
December 5
December 5
—
—
Appropriations for
FY2002 (P.L. 107-79;
December 7, 2001)
Further Continuing
2001
December 13
December 14
—
—
Appropriations for
FY2002 (P.L. 107-83;
December 15, 2001)
Further Continuing
2001
December 20
December 20
—
—
Appropriations for
FY2002 (P.L. 107-97;
December 21, 2001)
Source: Legislative Information System and CRS Report RL32614, Duration of Continuing Resolutions in Recent
Years, by Robert Keith.
Notes: Under President Reagan, a fourth continuing appropriations act for FY1982 was enacted in the following
calendar year (P.L. 97-161; March 31, 1982). In instances where no conference action occurred, either one
chamber passed the measure from the other chamber without amendment, or the two chambers resolved their
differences by means of an “exchange of amendments” procedure rather than a conference.
˜—›Žœœ’˜—Š•ȱŽœŽŠ›Œ‘ȱŽ›Ÿ’ŒŽȱ
Řŗȱ

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˜—œ’Ž›Š’˜—ȱ˜ȱžŽŠ›¢ȱŽ’œ•Š’˜—ȱž›’—ȱ›Žœ’Ž—’Š•ȱ›Š—œ’’˜—ȱŽŠ›œȱ
ȱ
Table 7. Dates of House and Senate Action on Selected Revenue Acts
Calendar Years 1977, 1981, 1989, 1993, and 2001
Date House Date Senate
Date of Initial Date of Initial
Agreed to
Agreed to
Calendar
House
Senate
Conference
Conference
Measure
Year
Passage
Passage
Report
Report
President Jimmy Carter
Tax Reduction and
1977
March 8
April 29
May 16
May 16
Simplification Act of
1977 (P.L. 95-30; May
23, 1977)
President Ronald Reagan
Economic Recovery Act
1981
July 29
July 31
August 4
August 3
of 1981 (P.L. 97-34;
August 13, 1981)
President George H.W. Bush
Omnibus Budget
1989
October 5
October 13
November 22
November 22
Reconciliation Act of
1989 (P.L. 101-239;
December 19, 1989)
President Bill Clinton
Omnibus Budget
1993
May 27
June 25
August 5
August 6
Reconciliation Act of
1993 (P.L. 103-66;
August 10, 1993)
President George W. Bush
Economic Growth and
2001
May 16
May 23
May 26
May 26
Tax Relief
Reconciliation Act of
2001 (P.L. 107-16; June
7, 2001)
Sources: Legislative Information System; Department of the Treasury, Office of Tax Analysis, Revenue Effects of
Major Tax Bills, by Jerry Tempalski, OTA Working Paper 81, revised September 2006, Table 2, pp. 16-17; and
CRS Report RL33030, The Budget Reconciliation Process: House and Senate Procedures, by Robert Keith and Bill
Heniff Jr.
Notes: The 1989, 1993, and 2001 revenue acts also are reconciliation acts and are included in Table 3.

˜—›Žœœ’˜—Š•ȱŽœŽŠ›Œ‘ȱŽ›Ÿ’ŒŽȱ
ŘŘȱ

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ȱ
Table 8. Dates of House and Senate Action on Debt-Limit Acts
Calendar Years 1977, 1981, 1989, 1993, and 2001
Date House
Agreed to
Date Senate Agreed
Date of Initial
Date of Initial Senate
Conference
to Conference
Measure Calendar
Year
House Passage
Passage
Report
Report
President Jimmy Carter
An Act to Increase the Temporary Debt
1977
September 28
September 30
—
—
Limit (P.L. 95-120; October 4, 1977)
President Ronald Reagan
A Bill to Provide for a Temporary
1981
February 5
February 6
—
—
Increase in the Public Debt Limit (P.L. 97-
2; February 7, 1981)
A Bill to Provide for a Temporary
1981
May 21
September 29
—
—
Increase in the Public Debt Limit (P.L.
97-48; September 30, 1981)
A Joint Resolution to Provide for a
1981
May 21
September 29
—
—
Temporary Increase in the Public Debt
Limit (P.L. 97-49; September 30, 1981)
President George H.W. Bush
To Increase the Statutory Limit on the
1989
August 1
August 4
—
—
Public Debt (P.L. 101-72; August 7, 1989)
Increasing the Statutory Limit on the
1989 May
17 November
7 —
—
Public Debt (P.L. 101-140; November 8,
1989)
President Bill Clinton





To Provide for a Temporary Increase in
1993
April 2
April 5
—
—
the Public Debt Limit (P.L. 103-12; April
6, 1993)
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of
1993
May 27
June 25
August 5
August 6
1993 (P.L. 103-66, Sec. 13111; August 10,
1993)a
ȬŘřȱ

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ȱ
Date House
Agreed to
Date Senate Agreed
Date of Initial
Date of Initial Senate
Conference
to Conference
Measure Calendar
Year
House Passage
Passage
Report
Report






President George W. Bush
[none] 2001
—
—
—
—
Sources: Legislative Information System and Office of Management and Budget, Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2009, Historical Tables, February 4,
2008,Table 7-3, pp. 130-133.
Notes: In instances where no conference action occurred, either one chamber passed the measure from the other chamber without amendment, or the two chambers
resolved their differences by means of an “exchange of amendments” procedure rather than a conference
a. The second debt-limit increase in 1993 was contained in a reconciliation act that also is included in Table 3.
ȬŘŚȱ

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˜—œ’Ž›Š’˜—ȱ˜ȱžŽŠ›¢ȱŽ’œ•Š’˜—ȱž›’—ȱ›Žœ’Ž—’Š•ȱ›Š—œ’’˜—ȱŽŠ›œȱ
ȱ


ž‘˜›ȱ˜—ŠŒȱ—˜›–Š’˜—ȱ

Robert Keith
Momoko Soltis
Specialist in American National Government
Analyst on the Congress and the Legislative Process
rkeith@crs.loc.gov, 7-8659
esoltis@crs.loc.gov, 7-8668




˜—›Žœœ’˜—Š•ȱŽœŽŠ›Œ‘ȱŽ›Ÿ’ŒŽȱ
Řśȱ

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