Federal Appropriations: What Is This Process and What Does It Mean?

Background: State and local STD prevention programs rely heavily on federal funding investments, a process that can seem complicated and convoluted.  Understanding the federal appropriations process and its implications will be helpful to successful STD programs.

Objectives: To better understand the federal appropriations process and how it could change as a result of outside factors, such as the implementation of the Affordable Care Act and the Budget Control Act of August 2011.

Mehods: This presentation will use the presenter’s first-hand experience working in the office of a senior member of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee to give participants an understanding of both the Budget and Appropriations process. 

Results: While there is an official schedule and timeline, in recent years the process of Congress appropriating funding has become more and more delayed and convoluted, marked by deferrals and brinkmanship.  Phrases like “budget” and “appropriations” are used interchangeably by both the media and general population alike, when, in fact, they are two separate processes.  All of these facts lead to confusion about a process that greatly impacts state and local STD programs.

Conclusions: State and local STD programs are greatly affected by the federal budget and appropriations cycle, and a better comprehension of this process could be helpful for long-term planning.

Implications: The yearly federal appropriations process, while not always straightforward, is vital to state and local STD programs.