Waiting for Budget Comparisons

Because the Republican-controlled Congress didn't pass all fiscal 2007 appropriation bills before the White House released its fiscal 2008 budget proposal in February, the Office of Management and Budget couldn't compare fiscal 2007 spending with President Bush's fiscal 2008 spending proposal.

But since the Democratic-controlled Congress last month passed a continuing resolution to keep agencies running through the end of the fiscal year, some have wondered whether OMB would release the comparisons.

Yes, but you'll have to wait a bit longer. Karen Evans, OMB administrator of e-government and information technology, Monday told a group gathered at the General Services Administration for a meeting of the Industry Advisory Council that OMB would release the comparison sometime in the Spring. That means after March 20 but before June 21 -- when agencies are putting together their budget proposals for fiscal 2009.