President's Ninth Special Message for Fiscal Year 1981

The President's ninth special message to Congress proposes revisions to six previously transmitted rescission proposals. Three of the revisions decrease the total amount proposed for rescission by $3.7 million. The other three revisions do not change the amounts proposed for rescission but were submitted to make technical changes in the original proposals. The special message also proposes two new deferrals of budget authority totaling $6.4 million and revisions of five previously transmitted deferrals.

Since the 45-day period of continuous session during which funds proposed for one rescission could be withheld pending congressional consideration ended on April 27, 1981, the subject budget authority was apportioned to the proper agency for allotment to the programs involved. The 45-day period of continuous session during which funds proposed for the 5 other rescissions may be withheld pending congressional consideration ends on May 17, 1981. One deferral, which was initially proposed in the sixth special message for fiscal year 1981, reduces the amount deferred by $3.8 million to accurately reflect the amount of funds already obligated at the time the program was stopped and the original deferral proposed was submitted. GAO had previously concluded in its impoundment report on the sixth special message that the deferral was not authorized by the Impoundment Control Act and recommended to Congress that the deferral be disapproved by an impoundment resolution. GAO has reviewed the ninth special message and, except as noted, has identified no additional information that would be useful to Congress in its consideration of the President's proposal. The proposed deferrals are in accordance with existing authority.