The federal budget represents about one-fifth of the GDP of the United States. Many players are interested in how the government ultimately decides to spend that money. Click on the name of each player listed below to learn more about their role in the budget process.
Submit budget requests to the Office of Management and Budget; testify before congressional committees in support of budget requests; may also enlist and involve special interest groups to help lobby for funding
Approves the final decisions on the OMB’s budget proposal; lobbies Congress to support his proposed budget (or at least those items of most importance to his agenda)
Write new laws requiring new expenditures; question waste and overspending by agencies as well as recommend increased budgets for successful government initiatives
