The President's request to defer budgetary resources through apportionment temporarily is called?

The President's request to defer budgetary resources through apportionment temporarily is called?

• A. Rescission
• B. Budget Authority
• C. Commitments
• D. Deferrals

Answer: (D)

Deferrals involve temporarily postponing outlays by adjusting the timing of funding through apportionment. The President’s request to defer budgetary resources via apportionment is a deferral because it keeps the authority in place while delaying when the money is actually spent. This is different from canceling or cutting budget authority outright (rescission), which would remove funding, or from commitments, which are obligations already recognized but not yet paid. It also doesn’t change the total budget authority—just delays some of the outlays to a later period, smoothing cash flow or aligning with multiple-year spending plans.

Deferrals involve temporarily postponing outlays by adjusting the timing of funding through apportionment. The President’s request to defer budgetary resources via apportionment is a deferral because it keeps the authority in place while delaying when the money is actually spent. This is different from canceling or cutting budget authority outright (rescission), which would remove funding, or from commitments, which are obligations already recognized but not yet paid. It also doesn’t change the total budget authority—just delays some of the outlays to a later period, smoothing cash flow or aligning with multiple-year spending plans.