Editing Office of Management and Budget (section)

===Role in the executive budget process===
In practice, the president has assigned the OMB certain responsibilities when it comes to the budget and hiring authorities who play key roles in developing it. OMB coordinates the development of the president's budget proposal by issuing [[List of OMB Circulars|circulars]], memoranda, and guidance documents to the heads of executive agencies. The OMB works very closely with executive agencies in making sure the budget process and proposal is smooth.<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Office of Management and Budget and the Presidency, 1921-1979 |publisher=Princeton University Press |last=Berman|first=Larry|isbn=9781400867288|location=Princeton, New Jersey|oclc=905862779|date = 2015-03-08}}</ref>

The development of the budget within the executive branch has many steps and takes nearly a year to complete. The first step is the OMB informing the president of the country's economic situation. The next step is known as the Spring Guidance: the OMB gives executive agencies instructions on policy guidance to use when coming up with their budget requests along with due dates for them to submit their requests. The OMB then works with the agencies to discuss issues in the upcoming budget. In July, the OMB issues [[OMB Circular A-11|circular A-11]] to all agencies, which outlines instructions for submitting the budget proposals, which the agencies submit by September. The [[fiscal year]] begins October{{spaces}}1 and OMB staff meet with senior agency representatives to find out whether their proposals are in line with the president's priorities and policies and identify constraints within the budget proposal until late November. The OMB director then meets with the president and EOP advisors to discuss the agencies' budget proposals and recommends a federal budget proposal, and the agencies are notified of the decisions about their requests. They can appeal to OMB and the president in December if they are dissatisfied with the decisions. After working together to resolve issues, agencies and OMB prepare a budget justification document to present to relevant congressional committees, especially the Appropriations Committee. Finally, by the first Monday in February, the president must review and submit the final budget to Congress to approve.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|title=The Art of Policymaking|last1=Shambaugwh IV |last2=Weinstein Jr.|first1=George E.|first2=Paul J|publisher=CQ Press|year=2016|isbn=978-0321081032|location=Thousand Oaks, California|pages=109–113}}</ref>

OMB is also responsible for the preparation of Statements of Administrative Policy (SAPs) with the president. These statements allow the OMB to communicate the president's and agencies' policies to the government as a whole and set forth policymakers' agendas.<ref name=":0" /> During the review of the federal budget, interest groups can lobby for policy change and affect the budget for the new year.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal|last1=Haeder|first1=Simon F.|last2=Webb Yackee|first2=Susan|date=August 2015|title=Influence and the Administrative Process: Lobbying the U.S. President's Office of Management and Budget|journal=American Political Science Review|volume=109|issue=3|pages=507–522|doi=10.1017/S0003055415000246|s2cid=145226542|issn=0003-0554}}</ref> OMB plays a key role in policy conflicts by making sure legislation and agencies' actions are consistent with the executive branch's. OMB has a powerful and influential role in the government, basically making sure its day-to-day operations run. Without a budget, federal employees could not be paid, federal buildings could not open and federal programs would come to a halt in a [[Government shutdowns in the United States|government shutdown.]] Shutdowns can occur when Congress refuses to pass a budget.<ref name=":1" />