Advanced Federal Budget Process
Current Budget Politics and the Federal Budget Process

Get an advanced understanding of the budget process. Learn how the federal budget process really works from faculty members with years of subject-matter expertise. Study important terminology and get tips to protect your budgetary interests.

This course is tailored for your group's specific needs.

We provide a comprehensive overview of current budget politics and the federal budgeting process. So you gain the awareness and guidance necessary to increase your chance of boosting funds and minimizing cuts. Understand the budget resolution process as well as the differences between authorizations and appropriations.

Learn how to recognize various budget documents so you can use them most effectively. We will also review and discuss transparency and accountability in the budget process and OMB's tools for program performance assessment. Finally, we explore professional online budget research resources.

Registration and payment at least 3 weeks before the sponsored course date is required so the program can be customized for your group. The program fee includes program development, faculty, materials, and classroom space in the DC area for up to 20 attendees (the program fee also includes AV, breaks and lunch). *  We will contact you after we receive your registration to finalize details.

See the FAQs About Sponsored Courses for more information.  

Government agencies: please see the GSA Schedule for our GSA contract pricing.

TheCapitol.Net, Inc.
Contract GS02F0192X
 

More Information
Agenda	When	Where	Related Training	Policies	Related Resources

The online budget research sources we reference are located at TCNBudget.com

The leadership competencies for this course include:

• Accountability

• External Awareness

• Strategic Thinking

• Financial Management

• Political Savvy

Bring this course to your site. This course and any combination of its topics are available as custom on-site training for your organization. We have tailored this course for attorneys, program and budget analysts, managers, engineers, scientists, and others.  For more information about how this training can help your staff, please contact our client liaison.

This is an elective course for the Certificate in Congressional Operations.

Budget Formulation, Justification and Execution The President's Budget The Defense Budget

Course materials include The Federal Budget Process.

Sample Agenda	Advanced Federal Budget Process 8:30 - 4:00 pm both days (Networking lunch 12 noon both days) Day One The Budget and the Economy The federal budget - key components and concepts How the federal deficit was ended - and returned Current deficit and debt projections Implications for the politics of budgeting Federal Budget Phases and Time Frames Presidential and agency formulation Congressional action on the executive budget Budget execution and control Review and audit stage Congressional Budgeting Today The Budget Control Act and the "fiscal cliff" The congressional budget process, key players and basic roles and relationships The two federal budget processes: discretionary and mandatory spending Budget authority versus budget outlays STAGE I: The Congressional Budget Resolution and Reconciliation Process Characteristics of the budget resolution How to interpret the budget aggregates, functional allocations contained in the budget resolution Relationship of the budget resolution to committee action Enforcing the budget framework through reconciliation PAYGO STAGE II: Authorizations Key features and different types of authorization bills The relationship of authorization and appropriations legislation and how differences between the two are reconciled The trend toward annual authorizations and how this impacts power relationships in Congress Day Two STAGE III: Appropriations The traditional role of the House initiating appropriations bills; the rules and structure in place to move this "must pass" legislation through committee and floor consideration Changes in the appropriations process including Senate initiation of appropriations bills, and conflict in the appropriating process How the various parts of an appropriations bill relate to one another How to interpret the nuances of legislative language (expects versus directs, may versus shall, etc.) in appropriations bills and reports Track Senate amendments to House-passed appropriations bills How the Senate's lack of formal rules and structure impacts the path of appropriations bills through the Senate; the use of unanimous consent STAGE IV: Final Actions on Appropriations How differences between House and Senate legislation are reconciled How to interpret the conference report and to determine the status of your program and final dollar amounts agreed to by the conferees STAGE V: The Budget Execution Process The flow of monies following the passage of appropriations including apportionment, allotments, obligations, and outlays by executive agencies Tracking and controlling the budget Accounting for budget execution Executing budgets within the law Transparency and Accountability in the Budget Process Policy proposals and fiscal realities OMB's tools for assessing program performance Principles and issues in performance measurement The Budget: Short- and Long-Term Prospects Continuing Resolutions (CRs) "Fiscal Cliff" Sequestration And other current topics This course and any combination of its topics are also available as custom, on-site training.   Do you need a training course we don't offer or coverage of an additional topic in this course? If you have suggestions for courses or topics you would like to see us offer, please contact us or complete our online suggestion form.
Suggested Prerequisites	Knowledge of, or a minimum of one year's experience working with, the congressional budget process, or completion of our  Understanding Congressional Budgeting and Appropriations course recommended. If you need help deciding which courses you should take based on your work experience or training, please contact us via email or phone: 703-739-3790.
Time and Dates	8:30 am to 4:00 pm both days M & T, August 5-6, 2013 Th & F, December 12-13, 2013
Location	August 5-6, 2013:   This course can be presented at your location in Washington, DC, or at a location in Washington, DC, that we provide.  * Other dates:  This course can be presented at your location in Washington, DC, or at a location in Washington, DC, that we provide.  For a map with a brief list of hotels near the Capitol, click here. When we arrange space, we use these Washington, DC, locations.
Course Materials	Includes The Federal Budget Process.
Certificate of Training and CEUs	A Certificate of Training is available for this course. To get a Certificate of Training , your registration fee must be paid in full, and you must attend the entire course. This is an elective course for the Certificate in Congressional Operations.   This course is approved for 1.2 CEUs from George Mason University.
Related Training	Understanding Congressional Budgeting and Appropriations Congressional Operations Briefing - Capitol Hill Workshop
Policies	See http://www.thecapitol.net/PublicPrograms/CoursePolicies_Sponsored.html All statements and discussion at all of our courses, workshops and seminars, public and custom, are off the record and not for attribution, unless specified otherwise. The resulting confidentiality ensures a frank and free exchange of views.
FAQs	FAQs about our sponsored courses including suggested attire.
Program Fee and Registration	$19,250 - for up to 20 attendees Registration and payment at least 3 weeks before the sponsored course is required so the program can be customized for your specific needs. The program fee includes program development, faculty, materials, and classroom space in the DC area for up to 20 attendees (the program fee also includes AV, breaks and lunch). We will contact you after we receive your registration to finalize details. * There is a discount if you provide classroom space in the DC area, AV, breaks and lunch. This program can be presented outside the DC area. Contact us for details.        Fax or Mail: Print out and complete the registration form (in Adobe pdf). The completed form should include your method of payment.    Fax the completed form to us at 703-739-1195.    Mail the completed form to us at TheCapitol.Net, Inc., PO Box 25706, Alexandria, VA  22313-5706
Available as custom, on-site training?	Yes.  This program or any combination of its topics can be tailored for on-site agency, association and corporate training.  Please call 703-739-3790 for information. Government agencies: please see the GSA Schedule for our GSA contract pricing. TheCapitol.Net, Inc. Contract GS02F0192X
Need more information?	Phone: 703-739-3790 Email: registrar -at- TheCapitol.Net Complete our online information request.
Non-Partisan	TheCapitol.Net is a non-partisan firm, and the opinions of its faculty, authors, clients and the owners and operators of its vendors are their own and do not represent those of TheCapitol.Net.

URLs: www.TheCapitol.Net/PublicPrograms/afbp.html    
BudgetProcedures.com
BudgetProcess.com
TCNAFBP.com
TCNBP.com

Next Course
August 5-6, 2013
8:30 am to 4:00 pm

   
Approved for 1.2 CEUs from George Mason University.

All of our courses and workshops include extensive interaction with our faculty, making our courses and workshops both educational and mini-consulting sessions with substantive experts.

Rave Reviews

"Good follow-up to the Understanding Congressional Budgeting 1 day course. Filled in the gaps in knowledge with applicable examples."  
-- Associate, Fortune 500 Company

"I feel more comfortable in the preparation of my budget and the process it will go through on the Hill." 
-- Budget Analyst, Treasury Dept.

"An excellent introduction to the federal budget process - at a level usable for the federal agency lawyer."

"[Faculty] very interesting, knowledgeable & able to explain complicated budget process." 
-- Program Analyst, Dept. of Energy

"Strongly recommend this course to other members in my office.  Superb presentation."  
-- Legislative Policy Analyst for HQ

"Practical suggestions for working with appropriators to maximize funds."  
-- Congressional Liaison, DEA

See more testimonials about this program.

Faculty

Our faculty for this course are all Hill veterans with current budget experience.

Select Previous Faculty

Clinton Brass

Hon. Jim Lightfoot

Roy Meyers

James Saturno

Allen Schick

Hon. Robert Walker

Our Clients

Congressional Offices

Federal Agencies

Military

NGOs and Nonprofits

Diplomatic Corps

Fortune 500

Law Firms

Lobbying Firms

Labor Unions

Associations