1、Congressional Research Service The Library of CongressCRS Report for CongressReceived through the CRS WebOrder Code RS20168Updated May 4, 2000Biennial Budgeting: Background andLegislative History in the 106th CongressJames V. SaturnoSpecialist on the CongressGovernment and Finance DivisionSummaryPro
2、posals to switch the federal budget process to a two-year timetable have beenmade several times in recent years. Proponents of biennial budgeting argue that byconsidering budgetary legislation less frequently, congressional workload can bedecreased and oversight enhanced. Although biennial budgeting
3、 is practiced by a numberof states, questions remain about how such a timetable would operate at the federal level.Proposals for a two-year budget cycle have previously been reported in the Senate in1988, 1990, 1994, and 1997. Another such proposal, S. 92, was reported by the SenateGovernmental Affa
4、irs Committee on March 10, 1999 (S.Rept. 106-12). S. 92 calls forthe House and Senate to use the first year of each Congress to consider a two-yearbudget resolution and two-year appropriation bills, and the second year to considermultiyear authorizations and conduct oversight. More recently, biennia