Overseas Contingency Operations Funding: Background and Status
Abstract
Congressional interest in Overseas Contingency Operation (OCO) funding has continued as Members debate ways of funding priorities without breaching discretionary spending limits set in law. Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Congress has appropriated $2 trillion indiscretionary budget authority designated as emergency requirements or for Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on Terrorism (OCO/GWOT) in support of the broad U.S. government response to the 9/11 attacks and for other related international affairs activities. This figure amounts to 9.5% of total discretionary spending during this period. Congress has used supplemental appropriation acts or designated funding for emergency requirements or OCO/GWOTor both. These funds are not subject to limits on discretionary spending set forth in congressional budget resolutions or to the statutory discretionary spending limits established by the Budget Control Act of2011 (BCA; P.L. 112-125). The Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (BBEDCA; P.L. 99-177)allows emergency funding to be excluded from budget control limits. The BCA added the OCO/GWOT designation to the BBEDCA exemption, thereby providing Congress and the President with an alternate way to exclude funding from the BCA spending limits.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 06, 2019
- Accession Number
- AD1169616
Entities
People
- Brendan W. Mcgarry
- Emily M. Morgenstern
Organizations
- Library of Congress