April 25, 2001

M-01-17

MEMORANDUM FOR HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES

As a follow-up to the submission to Congress of the Fiscal Year 2002 Budget, I would like to emphasize the importance of continuing to preserve the confidentiality of the deliberations that led to the President's budget decisions. Since the Budget has been formally submitted, it is important that the Executive Branch's internal deliberations regarding the various issues and options that were considered in the process leading to the President's decisions should remain a matter of internal record. Examples of confidential budget information are an agency component's budget requests to the agency, the agency's budget requests to OMB, and OMB's passback to the agency.

 

 

The Executive Branch's longstanding policy on the need to preserve the confidentiality of pre-decisional budget information is outlined in Section 36 of Circular A-11, "Communications with Congress and the Public and Clearance Requirements." For your convenience, a copy of Section 36 is enclosed. This policy applies to all Executive Branch officials and staff.

 

 

Thank you for your cooperation.

 

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