Number: RS21035
Title: Emergency Spending: Statutory and Congressional Rules
Authors: James V. Saturno, Government and Finance Division 
Abstract: The designation of spending as emergency has had significance in both procedural and budgetary terms. The Budget Enforcement Act (BEA; 1990-2002) placed statutory limits (caps) on the level of federal discretionary spending, enforced by across-the-board spending cuts, known as a sequester. If, however, spending were designated as emergency by both the President and Congress, it would not trigger a sequester, because the caps would be adjusted automatically by an amount equal to the emergency spending. Although the spending caps established under the BEA have expired, additional limitations adopted by the House and Senate in their respective rules concerning the use of emergency designations continue to be in force. In particular, the budget resolution for FY2008 (S.Con.Res. 21, 110th Congress) provides a point of order in the Senate against the use of emergency designations.
Pages: 5
Date: July 24, 2007