GovernmentExecutive.com

President Bush has sent Congress a $3.1 trillion spending blueprint -- the largest in the nation's history. Below are links to Government Executive's ongoing coverage of Bush's proposals for spending increases and reductions, and the prospects for his plan on Capitol Hill.

RECENT NEWS STORIES

• Senate panel slashes foreign visitor ID system (07/02/08)
  Appropriations committee, frustrated by delays, cuts US VISIT fiscal 2009 budget by nearly two-thirds.
• OMB head cheers Senate passage of war-funding bill (06/27/08)
  Included in the measure is a multibillion dollar boost in veterans' education benefits that can be transferred to spouses and children.
• IG praises IRS modernization program, with some exceptions (06/26/08)
  Insufficient budgets and inconsistent oversight threaten success.
• Committee approves $72.7B military construction spending bill (06/25/08)
  Bill includes $47.7 billion in discretionary spending for Veterans Affairs Department, nearly $3 billion more than the president's request.
• Panel OKs expansion, more funds for 'predisaster' grants (06/25/08)
  According to FEMA, the program has distributed $500 million in grants for nearly 1,500 projects.
• House supplemental bill praised for including extra research and science funds (06/23/08)
  A Senate vote on the House version is possible this week, and President Bush has indicated that he will probably sign it.
• House passes paid parental leave bill (06/19/08)
  Feds would get four weeks of paid time off for birth or adoption of a child; veto threat looms.
• House bill would put new A-76 competitions on hold for one year (06/19/08)
  Measure would leave fate of controversial program up to the next administration.
• Senate subcommittee adds $2.5 billion to DHS spending bill (06/18/08)
  House Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee approved its version of the spending bill last week.
• House panel approves 3.9 percent civilian pay raise (06/17/08)
  Move follows authorization of equal increase for military.
• IGs face more responsibility, turf wars over war-related spending (06/16/08)
  Congress steps up oversight of reconstruction contracts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
• Veterans groups seek funding in advance (06/16/08)
  Groups want the VA to get its health care money on day one of each fiscal year, instead of dealing with routine delays in the budget process.
• House panel backs big boost for veterans' programs (06/13/08)
  Funding would pay for 1,400 more claims processers, above the 703 additional personnel Bush requested to cut the backlog in requests for benefits.
• House panel backs retirement benefits boost for border officers (06/13/08)
  Bill also limits funding for new DHS personnel system.
• Cooperative purchasing bill close to becoming law (06/11/08)
  Senate approves measure to open GSA's law enforcement and security-based Schedule 84 to state and local governments.
• Lawmaker challenges Defense official's stance on new destroyer (06/09/08)
  Rep. Gene Taylor, D-Miss., has taken his fight to put the DDG-1000 destroyer program on hold directly to the Pentagon's top acquisition official.
• House narrowly approves budget over Republican protests (06/05/08)
  Measure includes $1.013 trillion in discretionary spending to be doled out among the 12 annual appropriations bills; projects a $340 billion deficit in fiscal 2009.
• Senate passes fiscal 2009 budget resolution along party lines (06/04/08)
  Measure would cap discretionary spending at $1.013 trillion, $21 billion more than President Bush requested.
• Senator wants post created to curb rising weapons costs (06/03/08)
  Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., said he would model the position on the Pentagon's director of operational test and evaluation, who oversees tests for major acquisition programs.
• Senate could vote soon on budget resolution (06/03/08)
  Vote could come as early as Wednesday, says Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad, D-N.D.