Unauthorized Appropriation

Under congressional rules, an appropriation of budget authority by the Committees on Appropriations must first be “authorized” by a previously enacted law. An appropriation without such a current authorization is deemed to be “unauthorized appropriation”.  

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[CBO Reports on Unauthorized Appropriations]

Unauthorized Appropriations

The Congressional Budget Office is required by sec. 202(e)(3) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to annually prepare reports on unauthorized appropriations: 

(3) On or before January 15 of each year, the Director, after consultation with the appropriate committees of the House of Representatives and Senate, shall submit to the Congress a report listing (A) all programs and activities funded during the fiscal year ending September 30 of that calendar year for which authorizations for appropriations have not been enacted for that fiscal year, and (B) all programs and activities for which authorizations for appropriations have been enacted for the fiscal year ending September 30 of that calendar year, but for which no authorizations for appropriations have been enacted for the fiscal year beginning October 1 of that calendar year.

See “CBO Reports on Unauthorized Appropriations”.

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