Friday, March 20, 2020

US Federal Budget Process - The Spending Bills

US Federal Budget Process - The Spending Bills House and Senate Work Out Differences in Conference CommitteeSince the spending bills are once again being debated and amended separately, House and Senate versions will have to go through the same conference committee process as the Budget Resolution. The conferees have to agree on one version of each bill capable of passing in both the House and Senate by a majority vote. Full House and Senate Consider Conference ReportsOnce the conference committees have forwarded their reports to the full House and Senate, they must be approved by a majority vote. The Budget Act stipulates that the House should have given final approval to all of the spending bills by June 30. President May Sign or Veto Any or All of the Appropriations BillsAs spelled out in the Constitution, the President has ten days in which to decide: (1) to sign the bill, thereby making it law; (2) to veto the bill, thereby sending it back to Congress and requiring much of the process to begin again with respect the programs covered by that bill; or (3) to allow the bill to become law without his signature, thereby making it law but doing so without his express approval. The Government Begins its New Fiscal YearIf and when the process goes as planned, all the spending bills have been signed by the president and have become public laws by October 1, the start of the new Fiscal Year. Since the federal budget process rarely runs on schedule anymore, Congress will usually be required to pass one or more â€Å"Continuing Resolutions† authorizing the various government agencies to continue operating temporarily at existing funding levels. The alternative, a government shutdown, is not a desirable option.

Wednesday, March 4, 2020

Louisa Adams, First Lady 1825 - 1829

Louisa Adams, First Lady 1825 - 1829 Known  for:  Only foreign-born First Lady Dates:  February 12, 1775 - May 15, 1852  Occupation: First Lady of the United States 1825 - 1829 Married to: John Quincy Adams Also known as: Louisa Catherine Johnson, Louisa Catherine Adams, Louise Johnson Adams About Louisa Adams Louisa Adams was born in London, England, making her the only US First Lady who was not born in America. Her father, a Maryland businessman whose brother signed the Bush Declaration of Support for Independence (1775), was the American consul in London; her mother, Catherine Nuth Johnson, was English. She studied in France and in England. Marriage She met American diplomat John Quincy Adams, son of American founder and future president John Adams,  in 1794. They were married on July 26, 1797, despite the disapproval of the grooms mother, Abigail Adams. Immediately after the marriage, Louisa Adams father became bankrupt. Motherhood and Move to America After several miscarriages, Louisa Adams bore her first child, George Washington Adams. At that time, John Quincy Adams was serving as Minister to Prussia. Three weeks later, the family returned to America, where John Quincy Adams practiced law and, in 1803, was elected a US Senator. Two more sons were born in Washington, DC. Russia In 1809, Louisa Adams and their youngest son accompanied John Quincy Adams to St. Petersburg, where he served as Minister to Russia, leaving their older two sons to be raised and educated by John Quincy Adams parents. A daughter was born in Russia, but died at about a year old. In all, Louisa Adams was pregnant fourteen times. She miscarried nine times and one child was stillborn. She later blamed her long absence for the early deaths of the two older sons. Louisa Adams took up writing to keep her mind off her grief. In 1814, John Quincy Adams was called away on a diplomatic mission and, the next year, Louisa and her youngest son traveled in winter from St. Petersburg to France a risky and, as it turned out, challenging journey of forty days. For two years, the Adams lived in England with their three sons. Public Service in Washington On returning to America, John Quincy Adams became Secretary of State and then, in 1824, President of the United States, with Louisa Adams making many social calls to help him get elected. Louisa Adams disliked the politics of Washington and was fairly quiet as a First Lady. Just before the end of her husbands term in office, their oldest son died, perhaps by his own hands. Later the next oldest son died, probably as a result of his alcoholism. From 1830 to 1848, John Quincy Adams served as a Congressman. He collapsed on the floor of the House of Representatives in 1848. A year later Louisa Adams suffered a stroke. She died in 1852 in Washington, DC, and was buried in Quincy, Massachusetts, with her husband and her in-laws, John and Abigail Adams. Memoirs She wrote two unpublished books about her own life, with details about life around her in Europe and Washington: Record of My Life in 1825, and The Adventures of a Nobody in 1840. Places:   London, England; Paris, France; Maryland; Russia; Washington, D.C.; Quincy, Massachusetts Honors: When Louisa Adams died, both houses of Congress adjourned for the day of her funeral. She was the first woman so honored.