	Introduction

The Budget and Accounting Act of 1921 (P.L. 20), as amended and later codified in the U.S. Code , requires the President to submit a consolidated federal budget annually to Congress toward the beginning of each regular session. Under Title 31 of the U.S. Code , the President must submit the budget—which contains budgetary estimates, proposals, and other required reports—to Congress on or after the first Monday in January, but no later than the first Monday in February. The President's consolidated, annual budget submission to Congress, or the Budget of the United States Government as it is referred to in statute, is referred to in this report as "the President's budget." Content of the President's Budget

The President's budget typically provides detailed estimates of the financial operations of federal agencies and programs, the President's budgetary and legislative recommendations, and other information supporting the President's recommendations. These estimates and proposals are developed by the legislative and judicial branches, and are then transmitted to the President and submitted, without change, as part of the President's budget submission. There are a number of reports that are required to be submitted along with, or at the same time as, the President's budget. For example, the President is required to submit an annual federal government performance plan for the overall budget. The budget submissions of the past three Presidents have each included the following volumes: Budget of the U.S. Government , Historical Tables , Analytical Perspectives , and Appendix . The Budget volume also includes summary tables of budgetary aggregates and estimates of the effects of the President's proposals on the deficit, among others. 30 The Historical Tables volume provides a historical overview of federal government finances, including time series statistics on budget authority, government receipts, outlays, government employment, economic statistics, and the federal debt going back several decades and in some cases as far back as 1789. 34 Since FY1995, the President's budget submission has included an Analytical Perspectives volume, which contains in-depth analysis of government programs, including credit and insurance programs, discussion of crosscut budgets (i.e., budgets that span two or more agencies), and technical explanation of the budget baseline used in the analyses and estimates contained in the President's budget, among other items. 42 The Appendix volume includes detailed budget estimates and financial information for each appropriations account and for selected programs, listed by appropriations account. Timely Submission of the President's Budget

In the 95 years since the President was required to submit a consolidated budget to Congress, the budget was submitted on or before the original statutory deadline on 76 occasions. On 54 of these occasions, the budget was submitted on the deadline. On the remaining 22 occasions, the President's budget was submitted early, between 1 and 13 days before the deadline. Delayed Submission of the President's Budget

The President's budget has been submitted after the statutory deadline on 19 occasions. In 6 of these 19 occasions, Congress extended the deadline by statute. In all but one of these occasions, the President's budget was submitted by the extended deadline. In the 14 instances when the budget was submitted after the original or extended deadline, it was delayed, on average, 31.71 days.
The Budget and Accounting Act of 1921, as amended and later codified in the U.S. Code, requires the President to submit a consolidated federal budget to Congress toward the beginning of each regular session of Congress. Under 31 U.S.C. §1105(a), the President must submit the budget—which contains budgetary proposals, projections, and other required reports—to Congress on or after the first Monday in January, but no later than the first Monday in February.
The President's budget, or the Budget of the United States Government as it is referred to in statute, is required to include in part (1) estimates of spending, revenues, borrowing, and debt; (2) detailed estimates of the financial operations of federal agencies and programs; (3) the President's budgetary, policy, and legislative recommendations; and (4) information supporting the President's recommendations. The President's budget also contains budgetary proposals for the legislative and judicial branches, which are transmitted to the President and submitted, without change, as part of the President's budget submission to Congress. There are a number of reports that are required to be submitted along with, or at the same time as, the President's budget, such as an annual federal government performance plan.
The content and structure of the President's budget have varied by President. The budget submissions of the past three Presidents have each included the following volumes:
Budget of the U.S. Government—includes a short budget message summarizing the President's policy priorities, summary tables of budgetary aggregates, and narrative descriptions of proposed government activities; Historical Tables—provides a historical overview of federal government finances, including historical data on budget authority, government receipts, outlays, and the federal debt; Analytical Perspectives—contains in-depth discussion of government programs and technical explanation of the budget baselines that were used to produce the estimates contained in the President's budget; and Appendix—includes detailed budget estimates and financial information on individual programs listed by appropriations account, which includes the President's recommended appropriations language, among other information.
Timely Submission of the President's Budget. In the 95 years since the President was required to submit a budget to Congress, it was submitted on or before the original statutory deadline on 76 occasions. On 54 of these occasions, the budget was submitted on the deadline. On the remaining 22 occasions, the President's budget was submitted early.
Delayed Submission of the President's Budget. The President's budget has been submitted after the statutory deadline on 19 occasions. In 6 of these 19 occasions, Congress extended the deadline by statute. In all but one of these occasions, the President's budget was submitted by the extended deadline. In the 14 instances when it was submitted after the original or the extended deadline, the President's budget was delayed, on average, 31.71 days.
This report, which provides information on the origins, content, and submission dates of the President's budget, will be updated annually or as developments warrant.