In 2007, two-thirds of all federal spending came through authorization bills.

Identical language was contained in the endowment's authorization bill, which the House approved 349 to 76 last week.

In the waning days of Congress last fall, the authorization bill for the military budget was adopted.

The Senate passed such a change last year and again this year as part of the military authorization bill.

New problems surfaced over the weekend for the annual military authorization bill.

The authorization bills sometimes have an air of unreality, even as they are passed.

The House tried to pass an authorization bill but members could not agree on the labor protection and liability provisions.

The provision is in the authorization bills passed by both houses of Congress.

The House, whose vote today was on an authorization bill, will get a chance to cut more during the appropriations process in the coming months.

The authorization bill sets the policy and states guidance for intelligence spending.