Glossary
Authorization bill
A law that creates or continues a federal program and sets policy, usually separate from the law that provides its funding.
Also called: authorizing legislation, authorization act
An authorization bill establishes, continues or changes a federal agency or program, sets its rules and often recommends a maximum amount of money. It is handled by the committee with jurisdiction over the policy area, such as Armed Services or Agriculture, and is separate from the appropriations bills that actually provide money.
Under House and Senate rules, spending is supposed to be authorized before it is appropriated, and appropriators generally may not include unauthorized programs, though both chambers waive this rule often. Some authorizations are permanent; others expire after a set term, such as the farm bill, the defense authorization act and the surface transportation law. An authorization may set a ceiling, but appropriators can provide less.
The annual National Defense Authorization Act is one of the few authorization bills that Congress passes every year. Lapsed authorizations create pressure points: programs that depend on a bill, like the farm bill, may be extended temporarily. Critics note that Congress has let hundreds of authorizations expire while still funding the programs. Authorization committees decide policy, which means that mandatory spending programs, funded by authorization law alone, can bypass annual review. Compare discretionary spending.
Last reviewed November 8, 2026