PAD505_PolicyBrief_JRobinson

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Policy Brief Jeffery Robinson Dr. Angela Parham PAD505-Public Budgeting and Finance July 16, 2023

Public Budget A budget is a fiscal policy document that outlines the revenues and expenditures an organization must obtain to carry out functions during a set time frame. Public budgeting dates its history in the United States back to 1781 with a weak central government overshadowed by state powers. This was soon determined to be ineffective because of the lack of ability for the central government to secure revenues. This led to changes when the Continental Congress convened in 1787 to form the U.S. Constitution in 1789 (Willoughby, 1). The U.S. Constitution gave the federal government the ability to collect revenues and incur debts and utilize these resources to carry out government functions and business. The federal budget was legislatively based and primarily focused on commercial transactions and most expenditures were for administrative purposes. Reforms to the system began to centralize budgeting and local and state governments began to put forth their own chief executives. The Commission on Economy and Efficiency was created in 1910, and they put forth a framework for a national budget. This developed further with the creation of taxes on income, a central banking system, presidential submission of annual budget to congress for review and approval, General Accounting Office, Bureau of the Budget, Congressional Budget Office, etc. All of the reforms and creations to further the budgeting process were designated to advance public budgeting. Ultimately, this led to the system that we operate within currently. Submission Process This begins with departments and organizations submitting essential wish lists or desires for funding. The president or chief executive then determines how to best provide for the needs of these organizations or departments. During this time the chief executive must consider any promises or standing obligations they have made to specific causes, organizations, or

departments. The chief executive chooses how and who to fund. Once they have a complete budget this is then submitted for approval or changes for revision to be suggested. In the case of the federal budget this is the time at which it is submitted to Congress and the House of Representatives for debate, revisions, and submission back in a negotiation style process. Once agreement is reached it is voted on, final submission occurs, and it is signed into law by the chief executive. In a more concise manner, the budget is formulated in steps. The first of those steps is for federal agencies to create budget requests and submit them to the White House Office of Management and Budget, OMB. The OMB then develops a budget proposal for the President based on these requests. The budget proposal is then submitted by the President to Congress. “Proposed funding is divided among 12 subcommittees, which hold hearings. Each is responsible for funding for different government functions such as defense spending or energy and water” (U.S. Government, 2). The House and Senate then submit their own budget resolutions, to be negotiated and merged, and a single version created and agreed upon. Finally, the approved funding bills are then sent to the President for signature or a veto. Mission The mission of the Bureau of Prisons states as follows, “Corrections professionals who foster a humane and secure environment and ensure public safety by preparing individuals for successful reentry into our communities” (BOP, 3). The budget for the BOP in fiscal year 2023 topped almost $8,000,000,000. However, the number of personnel has not increased since fiscal year 2020. The care of slightly more than 158,000 inmates, I simply do not believe this budget is capable of meeting the mission of the agency. Despite recidivism dropping over the last several decades, it still sits comfortably at 34% according to statistics released by the BOP. Furthermore, in contrast to their mission of providing humane and secure environments, it has been discovered

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