THE HOUSE-APPROPRIATIONS-COMMITTEE, FY 1963-82 - A MICRO-BUDGETARY PERSPECTIVE

Using budget data for the same domestic agencies included in Fenno's s tudy of the House Appropriations Committee (1966), this article explor es decision making in the committee in fiscal years 1963-82. The data show that the committee increased its budget advocacy in that period; however, it still acted as a budget guardian a majority of the time, a s it had in the period studied by Fenno. The findings support Fenno's argument that the committee's response to the president's budget reque st depended on several factors, including who was president and what a gency was involved. Further, this study demonstrates the utility of a micro-budgetary focus on change or stability in the role of the House Appropriations Committee.