Government funding

“ The Budget Bureau, is not concerned with policy save that of economy and efficiency. We are concerned with the routine expenditure of money, of proper conduct of routine business. It is our business to see that when money is appropriated by Congress along a certain line or policy with which we have nothing to do, that that money is spent as economically and as judiciously and carefully as possible in order to secure the greatest results along the line of the policy imposed by Congress. ”

“ Budget Director Jim Miller and his deputy Joe Wright have been briefing me on the results of our government-wide management project, a project that's saved our citizens over 600 million man-hours in filling out forms and redirected $84 billion in Federal money away from wasteful overhead into useful service and purchases. ”

“ It has come to be infinitely more trouble to spend our enormous national income than to collect it. The chief embarrassments have arisen, not from deficits, but from surpluses. It is very fortunate that such has been the case, because for the best management of the finances of a nation, when revenue is scant and economy imperative, it is absolutely necessary to have financial administration in the hands of a few highly-trained and skillful men acting subject to a very strict responsibility, and this is just what our committee system does not allow. ”

“ The debates on the estimates in the House of Commons have become an opportunity for criticising the conduct of the administration, while the financial aspect of the matter, the question whether the grants are excessive and ought to be reduced or not, has largely fallen out of sight. ”

“ It is clear that we must stabilize the government's finances consistent with our ability to tap legitimate sources of revenue and the judicious outlay of funds to meet current and future needs, with open accountability for our obligations at home and abroad. ”

“ That it is the duty of every branch of the government to enforce and practice the most rigid economy in conducting our public affairs, and that no more revenue ought to be raised than is required to defray the necessary expenses of the government and gradual but certain extinction of the public debt. ”

“ A government draws the breath of life from its finances, and it must balance its income and expenditures as any other going business concern if it expects to survive. It is my duty, then, to see that the Government of the Commonwealth live within its means and that it stands foursquare on a well balanced budget. ”

“ The principle of comprehensiveness requires that the budget cover all government agencies and
institutions undertaking government operations, so that the budget presents a consolidated and
complete view of these operations and is voted on, as a whole, by the body vested with national
legislative authority.
The principle of unity requires that all government resources be directed to a common pool to be
allocated and used for public expenditure according to the priorities of the government. ”

“ Every year, the press has a field day making fun of outrageous examples: a Lawrence Welk museum, research grants for Belgian endive. We all know how these things get into the budget, and maybe you need someone to help you say no. I know how to say it, and I know what I need to make it stick. Give me the same thing 43 Governors have, the line-item veto, and let me help you control spending.
We must put an end to unfinanced Federal Government mandates. These are the requirements Congress puts on our cities, counties, and States without supplying the money. ”

“ The states are now called upon to develop extensive educational systems, to care for the insane, to punish criminals, to maintain courts, to preserve order, to build roads, and support the poor, besides erecting public buildings, and in the municipalities providing water, light, paving and the other necessary improvements of modern towns and villages. To have the federal government, therefore, step aside and reach out into the states for additional funds for federal support means interference with the states' fiscal systems and in the long run the weakening of their financial power. ”

“ Congress' authority to condition the use of federal funds is not confined to spending programs as first launched. The Legislature may, and often does, amend the law, imposing new conditions grant recipients henceforth must meet in order to continue receiving funds. ”

“ Are our government revenues increasing at a rate which gives hope that within a reasonably short period we shall be able to finance all our ordinary expenditures with current revenues and thereby balance our budget? ”

“ The preceding suggestions and recommendations are submitted in the belief that their adoption by Congress will enable the executive department to conduct our fiscal concerns with success so far as their management has been committed to it. Whilst the objects and the means proposed to attain them are within its constitutional powers and appropriate duties, they will at the same time, it is hoped, by their necessary operation, afford essential aid in the transaction of individual concerns, and thus yield relief to the people at large in a form adapted to the nature of our Government. ”

“ From the standpoint of the country as a whole the advantages which will be derived from an integrated system of federal finance cannot be over-emphasised. The economic and fiscal contradictions and dangers inherent in the present situation will disappear. ”

“ My budget substantially reduces or eliminates more than 150 government programs that are not getting results, or duplicate current efforts, or do not fulfill essential priorities. The principle here is clear: Taxpayer dollars must be spent wisely, or not at all. ”

“ The centerpiece is something aimed at one of our toughest domestic challenges-deficit spending. It's about time we constitutionally mandate the Federal Government to do what every American family must do, and that is balance its budget. ”

“ It is particularly your province to consider the state of the public finances, and to adopt such measures respecting them as exigencies shall be found to require. The preservation of public credit, the regular extinguishment of the public debt, and a provision of funds to defray any extraordinary expenses will of course call for your serious attention. Although the imposition of new burthens can not be in itself agreeable, yet there is no ground to doubt that the American people will expect from you such measures as their actual engagements, their present security, and future interests demand. ”

“ This is the only mode by which it is practicable to make all contribute as equally as possible in the burden which all are bound to share, and it is for this reason that taxation adequate to the public exigencies, under our present circumstances, must be the basis of any funding system or other remedy for restoring stability to our finances. ”

“ Section 42. Patent and Trademark Office funding
(a) All fees for services performed by or materials furnished by the Patent and Trademark Office will be payable to the Director.
(b) All fees paid to the Director and all appropriations for defraying the costs of the activities of the Patent and Trademark Office will be credited to the Patent and Trademark Office Appropriation Account in the Treasury of the United States. ”

“ No government functions well in fiscal matters without a budget: what we need in legislative matters is a legislative budget, and by this phrase, I mean that the primary agency for the proposing of laws should be the chief executive of a city, or state or the nation, with the advice and consent of his heads of departments who would form his cabinet or council. ”

“ Part of our trouble is that we have been self-indulgent. For decades, we have been voting ever-increasing levels of Government benefits, and now the bill has come due. We have been adding so many new programs that the size and the growth of the Federal budget has taken on a life of its own. ”

“ You know, I'm always struck by people that are in and around the budgetary process for a number of years relating to spending in the federal government that suddenly discover we've added $5 trillion to our bar tab. ”

“ If, therefore, as an economic proposition, it were realized how vitally it concerns the state that not one child shall needlessly become blind, thereby increasing the public financial burden, there is no doubt that early and effective measures would be instituted to protect the state from this unnecessary and extravagant expenditure of public funds. ”

“ With rigid economy, vigorous salvage operations, and adequate revenues from taxation, a surplus of current receipts over current expenditures can be realized and should be applied to the floating debt. All branches of the Government should cooperate to see that this program is realized. I cannot overemphasize the necessity of economy in Government appropriations and expenditures and the avoidance by the Congress of practices which take money from the Treasury by indefinite or revolving fund appropriations. ”

“ The body having national legislative authority has the right to reallocate proposed
spending and to reduce the total amounts in the federal budget. It also has the right to
propose an increase in the overall amount of expenditures to the Council of Ministers
if necessary, and provide notice of this proposal to the Minister of Finance. ”

“ Accurate fiscal administration is very much promoted by the rule that any part of an appropriation unexpended at the end of the financial year in which it is voted shall lapse, and cannot afterwards be used unless it is granted afresh by Parliament. ”

“ Government efficiency and economy remain essential to steady progress toward a balanced budget. More than ten billion dollars were cut from the spending program proposed in the budget of January 9, 1953. ”

“ Since the peace, the people have paid to their tax-gatherers more than thrice the sum of the national debt, and more than twice that sum for the Federal government alone. We demand a rigorous frugality in every department and from every officer of the government. ”

“ Budgets are now released directly to local govern­ments and budget priorities are now determined in the first instance on the provincial level. An increase of revenue allot­ments and repeal of mandatory contributions by local units to the national government will place more resources at the disposal of the local governments. ”

“ The good faith of the state is pledged to make the available funds sufficient to equal the funds apportioned to the state by the government, and to maintain the roads constructed or improved with the aid of funds so appropriated and to make adequate provision for carrying out such maintenance. ”

“ The second requirement for government is the establish­ment of a complement of policies designed to induce and mobilize the maximum of internal domestic savings and the maximum external financing in order to sustain the overall investment requirements of the economic development program. ”

“ The grant to raise money gives a power over every subject from which revenue may be drawn, and is made in the same manner with the grants to declare war, to raise and support armies and a navy, to regulate commerce, to establish post-offices and post-roads, and with all the other specific grants to the General Government. In the discharge of the powers contained in any of these grants there is no other check than that which is to be found in the great principles of our system, the responsibility of the representative to his constituents. ”

“ If Congress will appropriate $750,000 for the purpose the President names in his message, and sees to it that the money is judiciously and intelligently disbursed, it is the opinion of The Man on the Ladder that not less than $100,000,000 annually would be saved in government expenditures, or one hundred millions more of service, material, equipment, etc., delivered for the money now expended. ”

“ And we indicated that we needed some assistance from the federal government to stimulate the economy, to create jobs, to help us balance our budgets and preserve essential programs for the American people and avoid the need to raise taxes at the state level. ”

“ The Ministry of Finance shall submit to the Council of Ministers for approval with the draft
annual budget law, the financial plan on loans, short-term borrowing, and the issuing of
guarantees by the federal government, governorates regional governments. In addition, the
Ministry will submit to the Council of Ministers a report any time that the plan must be
changed. Such changes must remain within the limits set by the budget. ”

“ I am just here today to say to you, gentlemen, that I know you can help a lot both in effecting economy of expenditure and in creating a better condition, from the moral standpoint, in all of the surroundings where our men are being treated and cared for. You can cooperate by suggesting to our Committee on Appropriations how we can best meet the situation that will prevent extravagant waste of money by the men who are being cared for, while they are in the institutions, and how we can preserve the funds for them and their families ”

“ Investments in public infrastructure and in the capacity of our people—through food, education, health, jobs, and social protection—remain our top priority. For this year, economic and social services were allocated almost 70% of the national budget. ”

“ Finally, since all the practical work in the domain of national and financial economy cannot and should not proceed otherwise than in accordance with a strictly defined plan, it is the function of the financial administration to create and compile the state budget in such a manner that it might approximate as closely as possible the budget of the entire national economic life. ”