Staying Fit
Legislation that authorizes appropriations for a single fiscal year and usually for a specific amount.
Under the rules of the authorization-appropriation process, an annually authorized agency or program must be reauthorized each year if it is to receive appropriations for that year.
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Sometimes Congress fails to enact the reauthorization but nevertheless provides appropriations to continue the program, circumventing the rules by one means or another.
Source: House Budget Committee
See also: Authorization
See all terms in the National Debt Glossary
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