Status of Budget Authority Involved in Three Rescissions
Gao ID: OGC-77-2 October 13, 1976The status of budget authority involved in three budget rescissions rejected by Congress is discussed. The requested rescission of $220,403,852 available for the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare's Elementary and Secondary Education Program was amended, reducing the proposed amount by $10 million. A portion of these funds has been released, and the remainder of the budget authority is available for obligation. Up to $600 million for the Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) State Housing Production and Mortgage Credit Housing Finance and Development Agencies was proposed for rescission, but not approved. Contract authority andfiscal year (FY) 1976 liquidating cash were made available for obligation and responses were received from nine states before the deadline. About $3.8 million of the available $15 million remained unused at the end of FY 1976. Because the contract authority remains available for use, additional states can still take advantage of HUD assistance. The proposed rescission of $2.5 million available for the Community Services Administration (CSA) Community Services Program was also rejected by Congress, and the budget authority was required to be made available. CSA has obligated all of the funds previously proposed for rescission.