President’s Attack on Congressional Appropriations Plan is Misleading: His Defense Budget is Driving Higher Spending, Not Congress’ Modest Domestic Increases

Publication Date: September 2007

Publisher: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (Washington, D.C.)

Author(s):

Research Area: Banking and finance

Keywords: Economic projections; Fiscal future; Federal budget

Type: Report

Abstract:

In the escalating battle over the domestic appropriations bills for fiscal year 2008, the President and senior Administration officials have charged that congressional Democrats plan an irresponsible increase of $205 billion over the next five years in discretionary spending (i.e., spending on programs funded through the appropriations process).  Yet this claim — which the President repeated in his press conference today — is false.  It is based on misuse of budget numbers, including the use of a large gimmick that distorts the numbers in the President’s budget.