OMB Watch Statement OMB Watch supports Sen. Voinovich's amendment (# 4238). It would curb the recent over-reliance on supplemental spending legislation. Spending under any supplemental is entirely outside the regular order of the budget process and not included in formal deficit and debt projections, raising issues of fiscal transparency and accountability. This is an opportune moment to take stock of the evolving nature and policy implications of the recent over-reliance on supplemental appropriations bills and to consider some specific reforms. Accordingly, the amendment proposed by Sen. Voinovich is an important step forward in making supplemental appropriations requests and legislation more fiscally responsible and restoring integrity to the federal budgeting process. The amendment provides that a point of order may be made against any supplemental appropriations legislation requesting over $15 billion for domestic purposes or $65 billion for overseas purposes in a given fiscal year. This point of order may not be waived. The Iraq Study Group is just one of many entities that have found the overuse of supplemental requests is hurting our country's bottom line: "Funding requests are drawn up outside the normal budget process, are not offset by budgetary reductions elsewhere, and move quickly to the White House with minimal scrutiny. Bypassing the normal review erodes budget discipline and accountability." The Voinovich amendment would help bring greater accountability to the budget-making process and promote fiscal responsibility.