The 1990 Budget Enforcement Act and 1993 Omnibus Budget Reconciliation
Act set 5-year spending limits for discretionary spending and pay-as-you-go
requirements for mandatory programs. With these multi-year caps in
place, neither the President nor Congress has to decide the total level of discretionary
spending each year. These caps provide even more reason for biennial
budgets and appropriations. In Congress, 7 out of 10 members favor a
biennial process with a 2-year budget resolution and multi-year authorizations. The time is ripe.