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Backdoor spending authority

National Debt Glossary: Key terms for understanding America's financial crisis

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AARP

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Published November 09, 2011

Authority to incur obligations that evades the normal congressional appropriations process because it is provided in legislation other than appropriation acts. The most common forms are borrowing authority, contract authority, and entitlement authority.

See also: Appropriation

See all terms in the National Debt Glossary

Frequently Asked Questions: National Debt

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