The President's Commission to StudyCapital Budgeting
BIBLIOGRAPHY OF RECENT EFFORTS TO IMPROVE
FEDERAL BUDGETING FOR CAPITAL
 

A.    Recent Laws Regarding Budgeting

  1. The Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 (P.L. 93-344) (July 12, 1974). Most laws and their amendments affecting the budget can be found in U.S. Code Title 31.

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  2. Federal Capital Investment Program Information Act of 1984 (P.L. 98-501) (October 19, 1984).

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  3. Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (P.L. 99-177) (December 12, 1985). This was known as the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act of 1985.

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  4. Budget Enforcement Act of 1990.  This was Title XIII of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 (P.L. 101-508) (November 5, 1990).

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  5. Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990.  This was Title XIII (Subtitle B) of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 (P.L. 101-508) (November 5, 1990).

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  6. Chief Financial Officers Act of 1990 (P.L. 101-576) (November 15, 1990).

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  7. Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (P.L. 103-62) (August 3, 1993).

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  8. Title XIV (Budget Process Provisions) of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 (P.L. 103-66) (August 10, 1993). This Title amended and extended the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act of 1985 and the Budget Enforcement Act of 1990.

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  9. Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act of 1994 (P.L. 103-355) (October 13, 1994).

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  10. Government Management Reform Act of 1994 (P.L. 103-356) (October 13, 1994).

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  11. Federal Acquisition Reform Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-106) (February 10, 1996). Division D of the National Defense Authorization Act for 1996.

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  12. Information Technology Management Reform Act of 1996 (Clinger-Cohen Act) (P.L. 104-106) (February 10, 1996). Division E of the National Defense Authorization Act for 1996.

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  13. Title X (Budget Enforcement and Process Provisions) of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (P.L. 105-33) (August 5, 1997).  This title amended and extended the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act of 1985 and the Budget Enforcement Act of 1990.
B.    Governmental Studies Regarding Capital Budgeting
  1. Report of the President's Commission on Budget Concepts.  Washington, D.C., October 1967.

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  2. President's Private Sector Survey on Cost Control (Grace Commission).  Report on Federal Management Systems, "FMS 5: Capital Budgeting."  September 1983, 96-111.

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  3. General Accounting Office reports, 1989-1998. GAO issued many reports in this period that discussed budgeting for capital, including the following:

    4. Budget Policy: Prompt Action Necessary to Avert Long-Term Damage to the Economy.  GAO/OCG-92-2.  June 1992.

    Budget Issues: Incorporating an Investment Component in the Federal Budget. GAO/AIMD-94-40.  November 1993.

    Budget Issues: The Role of Depreciation in Budgeting for Certain Federal Investments.  GAO/AIMD-95-34.  February 1995.

    Budget Issues: Budgeting for Federal Capital.  GAO/AIMD-97-5.  November 1996.

    Executive Guide: Leading Practices in Capital Decision-Making.  GAO/AIMD-99-32.  December 1998.
     

  4. Report of the National Performance Review, Creating a Government that Works Better & Costs Less, 111.  Washington, D.C.: September 1993.  See also the accompanying report, Improving Financial Management, "FM12: Manage Fixed Asset Investments for the Long Term."  67-72.
C. Progress in Implementing Modifications in Budgeting for Capital
  1. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-94: "Guidelines and Discount Rates for Benefit-Cost Analysis of Federal Programs."  October 29, 1992.

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  2. Executive Order 12893: Principles for Federal Infrastructure Investments.  Washington, D.C.: January 26, 1994.

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  3. OMB.  Statement of Federal Financial Accounting Standards (SFFAS) No. 6, Accounting for Property, Plant, and Equipment (November 1995); and SFFAS No. 8, Supplementary Stewardship Reporting (June 1996).

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  4. OMB Circular A-130: "Management of Federal Information Resources."  Transmittal Memorandum No. 3.  February 8, 1996.

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  5. OMB Memorandum 97-02.  "Funding Information Systems Investments."  October 25, 1996. This memorandum is also known as "Raines Rules," because OMB Director Franklin D. Raines issued the memorandum.

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  6. OMB.  Capital Programming Guide (Supplement to Part 3 of OMB Circular A-11).  July 1997.

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  7. OMB.  Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 1999.  February 1998.

    8. a) "Principles of Budgeting for Capital Asset Acquisitions," in the Analytical Perspectives volume of the Budget, 140.

    b) Chapter 6: "Federal Investment Spending and Capital Budgeting," of the Analytical Perspectives volume of the Budget.  This chapter includes projections of both budget authority and outlays to four years beyond the budget year, a section on major Federal capital proposals in the budget, the "Principles of Budgeting for Capital Asset Acquisitions," estimates of capital stocks and depreciation, and a section on capital budgeting.

    c) Proposal of Budgeting for Results, Budget volume, page 44.
     

  8. Department of the Treasury.  Consolidated Financial Statements of the United States Government (most recently, March 31, 1998).  Financial statements and accountability reports for departments and major independent agencies may be available from the Chief Financial Officer of each department or agency.  Some are available at www.financenet.gov/financenet/fed/docs.

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  9. OMB.  Circular A-11 (Part 3): "Planning, Budgeting, and Acquisition of Capital Assets."  July 1, 1998.

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  10. Agency Strategic Plans and Annual Performance Plans.  These agency plans are prepared pursuant to the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 and guidance in OMB Circular A-11, Part 2: "Preparation and Submission of Strategic Plans and Annual Performance Plans," July 1, 1998.  They are published on the agency websites or are available upon request to the agency.  Strategic Plans were published beginning in 1997 and Annual Performance Plans for FY 1999 were published beginning in February 1998.  The Annual Performance Plans for FY 2000 are scheduled to become publicly available in the Spring of 1999.