Federal and Municipal Appropriations and Agencies

Definition

An appropriation is a law that lets a government agency spend public money for stated purposes; under federal law a statute counts as an appropriation only if it specifically says so, and officials may not obligate or spend more than an appropriation provides.^[1] Federal agencies absorb capital through annual and permanent appropriations and pass much of it on as grants, loans and contracts; municipal appropriations are adopted by city, county and other local governing bodies under state and local law.

Federal law

1. Act enacting title 31, United States Code, "Money and Finance" (including the Antideficiency Act, 31 U.S.C. § 1341, and Government corporation definitions, 31 U.S.C. § 9101), Pub. L. 97-258, § 1, 96 Stat. 877. Enacted title 31, including 31 U.S.C. § 1301 (what counts as an appropriation and how it may be applied) and § 1341 (the Antideficiency Act limit on obligating or spending beyond an appropriation); governs federal appropriations only. Official text: govinfo.gov, U.S. Government Publishing Office.