Vol. 38, Number 2—February 2006

White House Budget Goes to Hill

The White House sent its fiscal year 2007 budget to Congress in early February. Overall, the President’s request would provide non-defense, non-homeland security executive branch agencies with 0.5 percent less in appropriated funds in FY 2007 than their enacted FY 2006 appropriations.

Although the criminal caseload is impacted by the Department of Homeland Security, for budgetary purposes the Judiciary is considered to be non-defense and non-homeland security. However, by law the Judiciary’s budget must be transmitted to the Congress unchanged by the President. Included in the $2.77 trillion budget plan is the Judiciary’s appropriations request for $6.26 billion, a 9.4 percent increase over FY 2006 available appropriations. Congressional hearings on the Judiciary’s FY 2007 budget are scheduled for mid-March.