Each year, the president releases a federal budget in early winter, usually the first week of February, to establish spending priorities on foreign and domestic programs authorized by Congress, as well as administrative budgets for various federal agencies.

The president’s budget also usually contains a number of “legislative proposals” that require congressional action to become law.

The president’s budget is regarded as a proposal — authority for authorizing and appropriating funds, both for federal programs and agencies, ultimately resides with Congress. However, the president’s budget will often serve as a starting place for negotiations with Congress, and the final federal budget enacted by Congress is usually to a greater or lesser degree derivative of the president’s plan.