Act - A bill that has passed through the legislative process and becomes a law . Amendment - A proposal to change the language of a bill or Act. Appropriations Bill - A bill reported out of the House or Senate Appropriations Committee, which appropriates funds approved by authorization bills. Authorization Bill - A bill reported out of an authorizing committee, which authorizes a government program that eventually is funded by an appropriations bill. Bill - A legislative proposal introduced by a member of Congress.
Most bills are public bills, dealing with general issues.
Private bills deal with individual claims against the government, such as immigration cases and land disputes. Budget Authority - Authority to enter into obligations that will result in immediate or future outlays involving federal funds. The basic forms of budget authority are appropriations, contract authority and borrowing authority. Budget Committees - A committee in each chamber that coordinates spending legislation and formulates the overall congressional budget. Budget Resolution - Concurrent resolution of both the House and Senate that prescribes spending limits in the various areas of government activity.