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The President’s Budget Request

Each year, the U.S. budget process begins when the President submits a budget request to Congress. The request, along with supporting documents, provides spending and policy proposals on how the administration would like Congress to support programs within federal agencies for the upcoming fiscal year through the annual appropriations process. Congress must ultimately appropriate funds for all discretionary programs.

FY2027

On Friday, April 3, 2026, the White House released the administration’s FY2027 President’s Budget Request (PBR) to Congress. The $2.2 trillion base request includes $1.15 trillion in defense discretionary spending, a 28 percent increase from FY2026 enacted levels, and $350 billion in mandatory defense spending through reconciliation. The White House’s non-defense discretionary (NDD) request totals $660.1 billion, which is a $73 billion or 10 percent cut from FY2026 enacted levels.

The APLU appropriations priorities chart details FY2025, and FY2026 appropriation levels, and the administration’s FY2027 budget request levels in comparison. APLU staff compiled an Overview and Analysis of the President’s FY2027 Budget Request, with additional links to key documents and funding requests for programs of interest.

On Friday, May 30, 2025, the White House released the administration’s full FY2026 President’s Budget Request (PBR) and appendix to Congress. The $1.691 trillion base request includes $1.011 trillion in discretionary defense spending and $601 billion in non-defense discretionary spending. The PBR decreases non-defense discretionary spending by 22.6 percent to its lowest level since 2017. Meanwhile, the PBR increases defense spending by 13 percent.

The APLU appropriations priorities chart details FY2024 and FY2025 appropriation levels, and the administration’s FY2026 budget request levels.

APLU staff compiled an Overview and Analysis of the President’s FY2026 Budget Request, with additional links to key documents and funding requests for programs of interest.

The White House released a budget request to Congress on March 11, 2024. The President’s $1.63 trillion discretionary spending request largely adheres to the Fiscal Responsibility Act, which limits growth in in non-defense discretionary funding to 1 percent over FY2024 levels and caps defense spending at $895 billion. These constraints do not allow for sustained year over year growth for many APLU priority accounts.

APLU staff compiled an Overview and Analysis of the President’s FY2025 Budget Request, with links to key documents and funding requests for programs of interest. Information on APLU’s FY2025 request levels can be found here.

The White House released a budget request to Congress on March 9, 2023. The President’s $1.73 trillion discretionary spending request includes increases to a number of higher education and research programs.

APLU staff compiled an Overview and Analysis of the President’s FY2024 Budget Request, with links to key documents and funding requests for programs of interest.

The White House released a budget request to Congress on March 28, 2022. The President’s $1.58 trillion discretionary spending request includes increases to a number of higher education and research programs.

APLU staff compiled an Overview and Analysis of the President’s FY2023 Budget Request, with links to key documents and funding requests for programs of interest.

The White House released a budget request to Congress on May 28, 2021. The President’s $1.5 trillion discretionary spending request includes increases to a number of higher education and research programs.

In reaction to the proposal, APLU President Peter McPherson released a statement.

APLU staff have compiled an Overview and Analysis of the President’s FY2022 Budget Request, with links to key documents and funding requests for programs of interest.

The White House released a budget request to Congress on February 10, 2020. The President’s Budget Request (PBR), A Budget for America’s Future, includes significant cuts to and elimination of a number of higher education and research programs.

In reaction to the proposal, APLU President Peter McPherson released a statement.

APLU staff have compiled an Overview and Analysis of the President’s FY2021 Budget Request, with links to key documents and funding requests for programs of interest.

The White House released a budget request to Congress on March 11, 2019. The President’s Budget Request (PBR), A Budget for a Better America: Promises Kept. Taxpayers First, includes significant cuts to and elimination of a number of higher education and research programs.

In reaction to the proposal, APLU President Peter McPherson released a statement.

APLU staff have compiled an Overview and Analysis of the President’s FY2020 Budget Request, with links to key documents and funding requests for programs of interest.

The White House released a budget request to Congress on February 12, 2018. The President’s Budget Request (PBR), Efficient, Effective, Accountable: An American Budget, proposes $3 trillion in spending cuts over 10 years and projects a nearly three percent economic growth rate over the next decade. The PBR accounts for the recently enacted Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, which increased the defense discretionary and non-defense discretionary (NDD) spending caps for both FY2018 and FY2019.

In reaction to the proposal, APLU President Peter McPherson released a statement.

APLU staff have compiled an Overview and Analysis of the President’s FY2019 Budget Request, with links to key documents and funding requests for programs of interest.

The White House released a budget request to Congress on May 23, 2017. The President’s Budget Request (PBR), America First: A Budget Blueprint to Make America Great Again, proposes a $54 billion increase for national defense discretionary budget authority and a reduction of $54 billion for nondefense discretionary programs.

In reaction to the proposal, APLU President Peter McPherson released a statement.

APLU staff have compiled an Overview and Analysis of the President’s FY2018 Budget Request, with links to key documents and funding requests for programs of interest.

The White House released a budget request to Congress on February 6, 2016. The President’s $4.15 trillion budget, while essentially flat when compared to the final FY2016 budget, proposes new investments in a number of areas, including research and higher education.

In reaction to the proposal, APLU President Peter McPherson released a statement.

APLU staff have compiled an Overview and Analysis of the President’s FY2017 Budget Request, with links to key documents and funding requests for programs of interest.

The White House released a budget request to Congress on February 2, 2015. The President’s Budget Request (PBR) proposes a $1.091 trillion increase in discretionary spending for FY2016, $74 billion above sequestration spending caps ($37 billion for defense, $37 billion for nondefense discretionary).

In reaction to the proposal, APLU President Peter McPherson released a statement.

APLU staff have compiled an Overview and Analysis of the President’s FY2016 Budget Request, with links to key documents and funding requests for programs of interest.