NFIB

Senate Passes Federal Budget for FY2003
01/24/2003

This week, the Senate finally approved the $390 billion budget bill for the FY2003 federal government (through Sept. 30) by a 69-29 margin.

The final bill adds $15 million for education, farm aid and construction to the budget proposed by President Bush. When combined with other budget bills already passed, the total appropriations are expected to total $755 billion, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Though they had hoped to finish the 2003 budget process by the end of January, conferees are now expecting the final budget to go to the president's desk in February.

Next week, President Bush is expected to propose a $781 billion budget for FY2004 in his State of the Union address.