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A country report for Central Europe & Baltic States is presented, from publisher Business Monitor International (BMI), with topics including Government Spending in Poland; Construction Industry of Hungary and Central Bank rate in Poland.

The article focuses on the enactment of appropriations measures during lame duck sessions of Congress, which typically occur between a congressional election and the start of the new Congress. Topics include the historical context and frequency of lame duck sessions, the types of appropriations measures enacted during these sessions, and the impact of various administrations on the legislative agenda during these periods.

The article presents questions and answers are related to the funding and budget authority of the legislative branch of the U.S. government including legislative branch appropriations bill, including funding allocations and historical budget authority percentages.

The primary aim of the study is to provide updated estimates of the financing gap to attain universal coverage for social protection floors. This estimation encompasses 133 low- and middle-income countries, and includes five income security guarantees (for children, persons with severe disabilities, mothers of newborns, older persons and the unemployed), together with essential health care. Estimates show that, for low- and middle-income countries, the financing gap to achieve universal coverage of social protection floors is 3.3 per cent of GDP annually.1 However, for low-income countries, the financing gap is an overwhelming 52.3 per cent of their GDP annually. In 2024, for low- and middle-income countries, the additional government spending needed to achieve universal social protection represents 10.6 per cent of their annual government expenditure, or 31.6 per cent of their social protection expenditure. However, for low-income countries, building social protection floors requires the mobilization of four times their annual government expenditure or nearly 28 times their social protection expenditure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines trends in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) procurement of food and agricultural products. Information is provided on food purchases by federal agencies versus purchases by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA-reported purchases by product type, entitlement and bonus purchases, federal funding sources, programs receiving USDA-purchased commodities, vendor eligibility requirements and small business considerations, and legislative proposals and activity.

The article provides an overview of the deferred maintenance of the U.S. National Park Service (NPS) and issues for the U.S. Congress. Topics discussed include NPS deferred maintenance by state and park, estimates of NPS deferred maintenance, and funding for NPS deferred maintenance such as the Legacy Restoration Fund, annual appropriations, transportation funding from the Highway Trust Fund, park entrance and recreation fees, and concessions franchise fees.

The article discusses Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 which allocates funding for federal agencies through FY2024 and extends expiring programs, notably in public health. Topics include Medicaid and CHIP, enhancing mental health and substance use disorder treatments; data collection and integrating behavioral health with primary care; and Medicaid eligibility and Medicare provisions for quality measures and beneficiary assistance.

The article offers information on the FY2024 appropriations for the legislative branch, including funding for various entities such as the Senate, House of Representatives, Capitol Police, and others. Topics include the budget request, hearings held by subcommittees, markups and orders for reporting by the House and Senate committees, and extensions of funding through continuing appropriations resolutions.

The article offers information on FY2024 appropriations for the International Trade Administration (ITA), the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC), and the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR). Topics include the enacted appropriations for these trade-related agencies, the summary and timeline of the FY2024 budget cycle, and the budget requests and proposals from both the President and the Senate Appropriations Committee.

The article focuses on the FY2024 appropriations for Energy and Water Development, detailing funding for agencies like the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Department of Energy (DOE), and others. Topics include the budget request; congressional actions; and specific issues such as supplemental funding, earmarks, and debates over energy efficiency standards.

The article discusses the role of earmarks in the State Revolving Funds (SRFs) for water infrastructure during the 118th Congress. It highlights how earmarks, facilitated through the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024, allocate a significant portion of SRF appropriations to specific drinking water and wastewater projects across states, territories, and tribes. It also mentions the affects the distribution of funds compared to traditional SRF allocations.

The article focuses on historical government shutdowns caused by funding gaps, governed by the Antideficiency Act. Key shutdowns include those in 1995-96 (21 days), October 2013 (16 days), and the longest in December 2018-January 2019 (35 days). It discusses relevant laws and resources, including reports from Congressional Research Service (CRS) and others. It further offered insights into potential outcomes and informing future responses to such events.

The article focuses on the fiscal year (FY) 2025 budget request for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Topics include mandatory and discretionary spending proportions; historical budget trends showing HHS as a major federal department; the significant role of mandatory spending programs like Medicare and Medicaid; and the organizational structure of HHS with its 12 main operating divisions responsible for various health and human services programs.

The article focuses on the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) fiscal year (FY) 2024 Appropriations. Topics include mandatory and discretionary spending; the Cost of War Toxic Exposures Fund (TEF); congressional actions; and historical perspectives. It discusses the FY2024 budget request; funding levels for various VA programs; and the enactment of appropriations bills, providing a comprehensive overview of VA budgeting and funding processes for the fiscal year.

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Of all major industries, construction is the only one to have registered negative average productivity growth since 1987. One might suspect measurement error to have biased growth downward since the deflators for this sector, which are used to translate nominal construction spending into the real quantity of structures, have risen much faster than those for other sectors. We find evidence of an upward bias in these deflators related to unobserved improvements in structure quality, but the magnitude is not large enough to alter the view that construction-sector productivity growth has been weak. We also find only small contributions from other potential sources of measurement error. We conclude that productivity growth may well have been quite low in construction, even if it has not been as low as implied by official statistics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the evolution of government spending on information technology (IT) and its increasing prominence in the President's budget submission, highlighting the roles of executive agencies, agency chief information officers (CIOs), and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Topics include the historical evolution of IT budgetary reporting, the inclusion of aggregated IT spending data in the President's budget submission since FY2003.

The article focuses on the resilience of the U.S. economy despite maintaining high interest rates, with economic growth expanding in various sectors throughout 2023 and into 2024. It highlights growth drivers such as private consumption, government spending, and exports, despite concerns about inflationary pressures.

The article presents information on the status of U.S. Department of Homeland Security appropriations for the fiscal year 2024. Topics discussed include a history of the timing of the annual Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, the supplemental appropriations included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and the annual budget request released by U.S. President Joseph Biden's administration for fiscal year 2024.

The article discusses the historical trends in discretionary budget authority (BA) in the U.S. in 1977-2023. Other topics include the role of Congress in budget management, the use of appropriations acts for BA and discretionary spending of federal agencies, several laws like the Budget Enforcement Act of 1990 (BEA) and the Budget Control Act of 2011 (BCA), social security, federal health programs, and veterans' benefits and services.

The article details changes to the U.S. Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) program. Topics discussed include state set-asides for Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), set-asides through appropriations acts, earmarks reserved from DWSRF appropriation, SDWA additional subsidization, additional subsidization through appropriations, use of set-asides and additional subsidization, DWSRF National Information Management System, and policy considerations for subsidization and DWSRF sustainability.

The article provides a perspective on the future of the Universal Service Fund (USF) and related broadband programs in the U.S. Topics discussed include universal service principles, High Cost Program, Lifeline and the Affordable Connectivity Program, Rural Health Care Program, Schools and Libraries Program, USF program fund contributions, the Lowering Broadband Costs for Consumers Act, Rural Broadband Protection Act, FAIR Contributions Act and Reforming Broadband Connectivity Act.

The article focuses on the evolution and implementation of the appointment procedure for the Architect of the Capitol (AOC), responsible for overseeing extensive facilities and artworks. It discusses changes in the appointment process, from presidential appointment with Senate advice and consent to the establishment of a congressional commission responsible for appointing and removing the Architect, with specific examples of appointments and terminations over the years.

The National Park Service (NPS) receives appropriations in the annual Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill. Over the past decade (FY2014-FY2023), NPS received both regular (annual) appropriations and, in some years, supplemental appropriations to address damage from hurricanes and other natural disasters. NPS's regular appropriations fluctuated during the decade but increased overall in both nominal and inflation-adjusted dollars. The FY2023 regular appropriation of $3.475 billion was 36% higher than FY2014 in nominal dollars and 7% higher in inflation-adjusted dollars. NPS also received disaster-related supplemental appropriations in FY2018, FY2019, FY2022, and FY2023. These funds were provided outside of regular appropriations laws and were not subject to discretionary spending caps. In addition to regular and supplemental discretionary appropriations, the agency also has mandatory sources of funding, including both NPS-specific funding and allocations from Department of the Interior (DOI)-wide accounts. During the FY2014-FY2023 period, NPS's discretionary appropriations generally were organized in six accounts. Funding for five accounts increased over the decade in inflation-adjusted dollars. These included NPS's largest account, which supports basic park operations, along with accounts that fund construction and major repairs, grants for historic preservation activities, assistance to nonfederal entities for natural and cultural resource preservation, and "Centennial Challenge" grants to spur partner donations for park improvements. A sixth account, with funding for federal land acquisition and outdoor recreation assistance to states, was shifted after FY2020 from discretionary to mandatory spending. The funding changes took place in the context of a 10% increase in park visitation over the decade, despite a drop in visits in 2020 as the nation was affected by the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The size of the National Park System remained roughly stable in terms of acreage, but 23 new units (many of relatively small size) were added to the system. Notwithstanding the growth in NPS appropriations, agency staffing levels declined by 3% over the decade. A significant issue for NPS throughout the decade was the agency's multibillion-dollar backlog of deferred maintenance-infrastructure maintenance and repairs that were not performed as scheduled or as needed. For two discretionary budget activities (within larger budget accounts) that primarily address both regular and deferred maintenance, the combined funding grew in inflation-adjusted terms. In addition, enactment of the Great American Outdoors Act (P.L. 116-152) in August 2020 provided a new source of mandatory spending to address NPS deferred maintenance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When Roosevelt abandoned the gold standard in April 1933, he converted government debt from a tax-backed claim to gold to a claim to dollars, opening the door to unbacked fiscal expansion. Roosevelt followed a state-contingent fiscal rule that ran nominal-debt-financed primary deficits until the price level rose and economic activity recovered. Theory suggests that government spending multipliers can be substantially larger when fiscal expansions are unbacked than when they are tax-backed. VAR estimates using data on "emergency" unbacked spending and "ordinary" backed spending confirm this prediction and find that primary deficits made quantitatively important contributions to raising both the price level and real GNP after 1933. VAR evidence does not support the conventional monetary explanation that gold revaluation and gold inflows, which raised the monetary base, drove the recovery independently of fiscal actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the U.S. Department of Defense's (DoD) reliance on contractors, encompassing entities such as private companies and individuals hired for specific tasks. Topics include the significant financial obligations to contractors, particularly major companies like Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Pfizer; the roles contractors play in military operations, intelligence, and security; and legislative oversight and reporting requirements concerning DOD contractor activities.

The article presents that report which discusses that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Appropriations Act for FY2024, highlighting substantive changes in directions compared to FY2023. It focuses on key alterations in administrative and general provisions, examining detailed proposals from the Administration's FY2024 appropriations request, House Appropriations Committee-reported H.R. 4367, and Senate Appropriations Committee-reported S. 262.

The article focuses on the Restoring Hope for Mental Health and Well-Being Act of 2022, a comprehensive legislative piece enacted as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, primarily reauthorizing and amending behavioral health programs. Topics include the act's organization into five titles, covering mental health and crisis care needs, substance use disorder prevention and treatment, and miscellaneous provisions regulating funding allocation based on behavioral health issues.

The article focuses on the Prevention and Public Health Fund (PPHF) established by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2010, providing an overview of its legislative history, analysis of its impact on federal public health funding. It mentions PPHF, a permanent annual mandatory appropriation, aimed to enhance national investment in prevention and public health programs, but the analysis suggests that the CDC's overall program funding.

The article focuses on the Energy and Water Development appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2024, covering funding for agencies such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Department of Energy, and independent agencies. Topics include comparisons between the Biden administration's budget request and congressional appropriations, significant changes in funding levels for different agencies, and legislative processes and budgetary constraints affecting the appropriations bill.

The article focuses on the history of federal policy and programs related to Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) in the U.S. Topics include the substantial expenditure on LTSS, predominantly covered by public programs like Medicaid, the financial challenges for individuals relying on private funding, and the legislative history surrounding federal efforts to address LTSS financing, including actions related to Medicaid coverage and private long-term care insurance.

The article focuses on USAspending.gov as a government source for federal awards data, including contracts, grants, loans, and financial assistance, and highlights challenges related to data quality. It discusses tools on USAspending.gov for analyzing federal spending within budget function, agency, and object class categories, and also mentions other federal awards data sources such as the Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS) and Census Federal Audit Clearinghouse.

The article focuses on the U.S. Senate's biennial funding process for committees, excluding Appropriations and Ethics, and highlights the authorization resolution adopted on February 15, 2023, allocating expenditures for specific periods. It explains the governing rules, including Senate Rule XXVI, paragraph 9, detailing the authorization process and funding resolutions into an omnibus committee funding resolution by the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration.

The article provides an overview of the Fiscal Year 2024 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) appropriations process, covering key aspects such as the President's Budget Request, House and Senate Committee Actions, and the potential use of a Continuing Resolution. Topics include historical timing, a furlough summary, and the impact of funding gaps on DHS operations.

The article focuses on the funding process for committees in the House of Representatives, covering topics such as the consideration of committee funding resolutions, appropriations for FY2023 and FY2024, and the overall committee funding process. It provides insights into the relationship between authorization and appropriations processes, along with historical figures depicting authorization and appropriations levels since the 104th Congress.

The article focuses on the FY2024 appropriations for Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS), covering departments like Commerce, Justice, and National Science Foundation (NSF). It mentions that the report outlines the Administration's request of 93.759 billion U.S. dollars, the Senate Committee's proposed 84.850 billion U.S. dollars and the House Subcommittee's proposed 82.278 billion U.S. dollars.

We study credit card rewards as an ideal laboratory to quantify redistribution between consumers in retail financial markets. Comparing cards with and without rewards, we find that, regardless of income, sophisticated individuals profit from reward credit cards at the expense of na¨ıve consumers. To probe the underlying mechanisms, we exploit bank-initiated account limit increases at the card level and show that reward cards induce more spending, leaving na¨ıve consumers with higher unpaid balances. Na¨ıve consumers also follow a sub-optimal balance-matching heuristic when repaying their credit cards, incurring higher costs. Banks incentivize the use of reward cards by offering lower interest rates than on comparable cards without rewards. We estimate an aggregate annual redistribution of $15 billion from less to more educated, poorer to richer, and high to low minority areas, widening existing disparities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the trends in defense expenditure in India, including the allocation of funds, the focus on indigenous development, and the challenges faced in attracting private sector investments. The Ministry of Defense (MoD) plays a crucial role in formulating policies and overseeing their implementation, while the budget allocation for defense has increased for the fiscal year.

The article focuses on the allocation and administration of funding for Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) for FY2024, detailing the program's structure, funding sources, and the specific medical research areas receiving appropriations. Topics include the role of the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command (USAMRDC) in managing CDMRP grants, the process of requesting and distributing funding for medical research.

The article discusses the fiscal year 2024 appropriations for the water infrastructure programs of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Topics explored include the investment needed to ensure the supply of safe drinking water, the provision of funds through the State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG), and the authorization of programs concerning water treatment works and public water systems by the Clean Water Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act.

The article provides information on the fiscal year 2024 (FY2024) budget request and appropriations by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Topics discussed include background on the NOAA, supplemental appropriations available in fiscal year 2024, and NOAA annual direct obligations and appropriations for discretionary Operations, Research, and Facilities (ORF) and Procurement, Acquisition, and Construction (PAC) accounts.

The article focuses on the annual appropriation of funds for the federal judiciary, including both discretionary and mandatory funds, which are typically included in the Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) appropriations bill. It covers various courts, programs, and other items funded by Congress, such as the Supreme Court, U.S. Courts of Appeals, and programs like defender services and court security, detailing the authorization levels and functions of each.