[20040308]RS20398_预算扣押：简要回顾.pdf

Congressional Research Service The Library of CongressCRS Report for CongressReceived through the CRS WebOrder Code RS20398Updated March 8, 2004Budget Sequesters: A Brief ReviewRobert KeithSpecialist in American National GovernmentGovernment and Finance DivisionSummaryDuring the period encompassing FY1986-2002, the budgetary decisions ofCongress and the President were guided in part by specific goals in statute enforced bya process known as sequestration. The statutory goals initially took the form of deficittargets, but later were changed to limits on discretionary spending (first effective forFY1991) and a “pay-as-you-go” requirement for direct spending and revenue legislation(first effective for FY1992). Five sequesters were triggered during years in whichCongress and the President did not adhere to these statutory goals, three under the deficittargets and two under the discretionary spending limits. No sequester occurred,however, after FY1991.In many of the years since FY1991, Congress and the President were able to avoida sequester by ensuring that it did not enact spending or revenue legislation in violationof the statutory goals. At times, Congress and the President had to t