Changes

==Origins and issues==

==Origins and issues==

Originally created by a parliamentary ruling of the House of Representatives in 1949, "backdoor spending" devices have been held not to constitute appropriations. The ruling permitted legislative committees, which are specifically prohibited from handling appropriations matters, to authorize agencies to obtain funds via the "backdoor" method. In some cases these spending authorizations

Originally created by a parliamentary ruling of the House of Representatives in 1949, "backdoor spending" devices have been held not to constitute appropriations. The ruling permitted legislative committees, which are specifically prohibited from handling appropriations matters, to authorize agencies to obtain funds via the "backdoor" method. In some cases these spending authorizations do not come before the appropriations committees for review.<ref>[http://taxfoundation.org/sites/taxfoundation.org/files/docs/pn51-2.pdf pp. 13-14 pdf].  </ref>

do not come before the appropriations committees for review.<ref>[http://taxfoundation.org/sites/taxfoundation.org/files/docs/pn51-2.pdf pp. 13-14 pdf].  </ref>

*One type of backdoor is contract authority which permits an agency to obligate funds in advance of appropriations. The matter comes before the appropriations committees only when money is needed to liquidate the obligation, too late for them to exercise any meaningful control.

*One type of backdoor is contract authority which permits an agency to obligate funds in advance of appropriations. The matter comes before the appropriations committees only when money is needed to liquidate the obligation, too late for them to exercise any meaningful control.