Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-02-06
Sound Fiscal Reforms

Senator Byrd Is advocating some sound
reforms in the making of Federal appropriations
and in the control of expenditures.
One of the Virginian's proposals. already
supported by nearly half of the Senate, is in
the form of a concurrent resolution providing the
following: That all appropriations be included
in single omnibus supply bill; that Congress
should write into such legislation limitations
upon annual obligations for expenditures, from
both past and current appropriations; and that
revised revenue estimates should be furnished
by the Treasury Department during considera-
ton OF the appropriation measure in order to
facilitate striking budget balance
second OF Senator Byrd's proposals, in
the form of constitutional amendment, would
permit the President to veto individual items in
appropriation legislation.
basic objective of the Senator's suggestion
for single appropriation bill is to restore to
the Congress control of annual obligations for
Federal expenditures. Under present practice
Congress votes appropriations but attaches no
limitations upon annual spending obligations,
either from new funds or from the balances
carried over from previous appropriations. By
next June 30, for example, the build-up of
unexpended balances in old appropriations and
authorizations will exceed 500 billion, with no
provision for congressional review of the
N~AAo0VAOAAo
is, as Senator Byrd points out, the annual
expenditureS-not the annual approximations
that eventually are balanced against annual
revenues to result in a deficit or surplus and
to affect the public debt.
The 1854 budget submitted by former Presi-
dent Truman illustrates this condition. Mr..
Truman recommended new appropriations and
authorizations of only $729 billion, with actual
expenditures from this sum in the next fiscal
year estimated at only SAIL billion. At the
same time he estimated the years total expendi-
lures would run to $786 billion, the difference of
$37.5 billion coming from the billion bal
ance carried over from previous years. With
revenue estimated at $687 billion however the
net deficit under the Truman projection of
spending would be 500 billion. Acceptance of
the Byrd procedure for fixing congressional
limitations on annual spending obligations,
from both old and new funds, would clearly be
step toward establishing and maintaining
balance between current expenditures and
current revenue. And to do this in a single
bill, rather than through a dozen unrelated
supply measures, would seem to simplify the
whole picture for congressional and public
understanding.
There is comparable logic in the "item
veto" proposal Too many times in the past
unjustifiable appropriation items have been
accepted by Presidents because they had no
alternative other than rejecting an entire
supply bill and thereby jeopardizing all opera
lions of department or agency.
Substantial obstacles stand in the way of
both of these broad reforms. The House has
never shown enthusiasm for the single appro-
priation bill procedure, and Chairman Taber of
the Appropriations Committee already has de-
clared his current opposition. The process of
amending the Constitution, for the item veto,"
is long one-requiring two-thirds majorities of
both branches of Congress and ratification by
three-fourths of the State legislatures Both
proposals. however, warrant serious congress
sional consideration at this session.