Budget Documents & The Federal Budget Process

The way Congress develops tax and spending legislation is guided by a set of specific procedures laid out in the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. The centerpiece of the Budget Act is the requirement that Congress each year develop a "budget resolution" setting aggregate limits on spending and targets for federal revenue. The limits set by the budget resolution, along with a companion "pay-as-you-go" rule, apply to all tax or spending legislation developed by individual committees as well as to any amendments offered on the House or Senate floor.