Appropriations Law Forum

GAO held its annual Appropriations Law Forum on June 4, 2024. The session included an overview of decisions issued from September 2023 to May 2024, and discussions on working with GAO under GAO’s new protocols for legal decisions and opinions; revolving funds and government corporations; the recording statute and bona fide needs rule; impoundments; the role of executive agencies and appropriations attorneys during a new presidential term; the purpose statute; and GAO’s tracking of community project funding and congressionally directed spending. The forum materials include a document, created for the forum, that provides appropriations law resources for political appointees.

GAO held its annual Appropriations Law Forum on September 12, 2023. The session included an overview of decisions issued from June 2022 to August 2023, and discussions on the debt ceiling; the miscellaneous receipts statute; the application of the purpose statute; and an executive branch counsel panel on interagency agreements.

GAO held its annual Appropriations Law Forum on June 8, 2022. The session included an overview of decisions issued in 2021 and 2022, and discussions on the Impoundment Control Act; the Antideficiency Act; the application of the bona fide needs rule; an update on the Power of the Purse Act; and an executive branch counsel panel on telework and other expenses in the post-COVID-19 hybrid work environment.

GAO held its annual Appropriations Law Forum on June 30, 2021.  The session included an overview of decisions issued in 2020 and 2021, and discussions on the Impoundment Control Act, including the pause of border barrier construction and obligations; earmarks and reprogrammings; the Power of the Purse Act; interagency and other transactions; and personal expenses in the time of COVID-19.

GAO held its annual Appropriations Law Forum on September 29, 2020. The session included an overview of decisions issued in 2019 and 2020, and discussions on the Impoundment Control Act and withholding of Ukraine security assistance; Department of Defense appropriations for border fencing; changes to Antideficiency Act reporting; anti-lobbying, publicity, and propaganda restrictions; and agency activity during the fiscal year 2019 lapse in appropriations.

GAO held its annual Appropriations Law Forum on June 6, 2019. The session included an overview of significant decisions and opinions issued in 2018, and discussions on the Impoundment Control Act; the Government-Wide Inventory of Accounts with Spending Authority and Permanent Appropriations, Fiscal Years 1995 to 2015; statutory notification requirements and agency communications; and lapse in appropriations and the government shutdown.

GAO held its annual Appropriations Law Forum on March 8, 2018. The session included an overview of significant decisions and opinions issued in 2017 and a discussion of disaster relief funding, fiscal law considerations related to telework and agency communications, and the Impoundment Control Act.

GAO held its annual Appropriations Law Forum on March 9, 2017. The session included an overview of significant decisions and opinions issued in 2016 and a discussion of continuing resolutions.

GAO held its annual Appropriations Law Forum on March 10, 2016, to coincide with the publication of chapters 1 and 2 of the fourth edition of Principles of Federal Appropriations Law. The session included an overview of significant decisions and opinions issued in 2015.

GAO held its annual Appropriations Law Forum on March 12, 2015, to coincide with the publication of the annual update of the third edition of Principles of Federal Appropriations Law. The session included an overview of significant decisions issued in 2014, with panel discussions on (1) donations, gifts, and free services and (2) a legal opinion regarding the obligation of military bonuses.

GAO held its annual Appropriations Law Forum on March 13, 2014 to coincide with the publication of the annual update of the Third Edition of Principles of Federal Appropriations Law. The session included an overview of recent significant decisions and opinions.

GAO held its annual Appropriations Law Forum on March 7, 2013 to coincide with the publication of the annual update of the Third Edition of Principles of Federal Appropriations Law. The session included an overview of significant decisions issued in 2012, with separate discussions of a case study on the impact of appropriations provisions, as well as public–private partnerships. Material handed out at the Forum is available here.

GAO held its annual Appropriations Law Forum on March 8, 2012 to coincide with the publication of the annual update of the Third Edition of Principles of Federal Appropriations Law. The session included an overview of significant decisions issued in 2011, with separate discussions of a case study of the impact of appropriations prohibitions, a different perspective on appropriations law, and responding to an Antideficiency Act violation. Material handed out at the Forum is available here.

GAO held its annual Appropriations Law Forum on March 10, 2011, to coincide with the publication of the annual update of the Third Edition of Principles of Federal Appropriations Law. The session included an overview of significant decisions issued in 2010, with separate discussions of congressional scoring, perspectives on the appropriations legislative process and incremental funding. Material handed out at the Forum is available here.

GAO held its annual Appropriations Law Forum on March 11, 2010, to coincide with the publication of the annual update of the Third Edition of Principles of Federal Appropriations Law. The session included an overview of significant decisions issued in 2009, with separate discussions of perspectives on personal expenses and the intersection of appropriations and contract law.

GAO held its annual Appropriations Law Forum on March 12, 2009, to coincide with the publication of the annual update of the Third Edition of Principles of Federal Appropriations Law. The session included an overview of significant decisions issued in 2008, with separate discussions of personal versus official expenses and appropriations issues for political appointees.

GAO held its annual Appropriations Law Forum on March 13, 2008, to coincide with the publication of the annual update of the Third Edition of Volumes I and II of Principles of Federal Appropriations Law. The session included an overview of significant decisions issued in 2007, with separate discussions of no-cost contracts and interagency transactions.

The GAO held an Appropriations Law Forum on March 10, 2005 to coincide with the publication of the 2004 Update of the Third Edition of Volume I of Principles of Federal Appropriations Law. The session included an overview of significant decisions issued in 2004, with separate discussions of interagency transactions and the availability of appropriated funds to purchase food.