Advocacy Glossary
Budget resolution
What does budget resolution mean?
A budget resolution is Congress's yearly spending and revenue blueprint. It sets overall totals and can unlock budget reconciliation, but it is never signed by the President and does not become law.
Why it matters for advocates
Think of it as Congress agreeing with itself on the big numbers. Appropriators then use those totals to write the twelve spending bills.
Congress often skips or delays it. When a budget resolution does move, pay attention to whether it includes reconciliation instructions, because that signals a big partisan bill is coming.
Related terms
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