End-of-Year Fiscal Responsibility

Summary#

This bill sets rules for how Executive agencies may spend discretionary money in the two months before the end of a fiscal year (the "covered period"). It defines "covered period" as the two months before the fiscal year ends, and it uses the existing legal meaning of "discretionary appropriations" and "Executive agency." During each month of the covered period, an agency may not obligate more in discretionary appropriations than the agency's average monthly obligations over the previous 10 months. Each agency must submit, within 60 days after the fiscal year ends, an itemized list of the discretionary amounts it obligated during the covered period and post that list on a public website. The rule does not apply to discretionary appropriations used for national security-related activities or for disaster relief.

What it means for you#

• Executive agencies: must track monthly obligations, limit end-of-year monthly obligations to the 10-month average, and publish an itemized report within 60 days after the fiscal year ends.
• Members of the public: agencies must post an itemized list of covered-period obligations on a public website after each fiscal year.
• Contractors, grantees, and others who receive discretionary funds: agencies will follow the listed monthly limits for obligations in the two months before a fiscal year ends, unless the spending is for national security or disaster relief.

Expenses#

No publicly available information on budgetary effects, costs, or savings. The bill text does not include a cost estimate.

Proponents' View#

No publicly available information.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information.