Question

Mandatory outlays are different than discretionary outlays because:a. mandatory outlays usually change during the budget process, whereas discretionary outlays do not.

b. mandatory outlays have been decreasing as a percentage of the federal budget, whereas discretionary outlays have been increasing as a percentage of the federal budget.
c. discretionary outlays can be changed during the annual budget process, whereas mandatory outlays cannot.
d.discretionary outlays include entitlement programs (such as Social Security and Medicare), whereas mandatory outlays include important government programs (such as defense).
e.discretionary outlays comprise the vast majority of the total budget, whereas mandatory outlays make up only a minor fraction.

Answer 1

The correct answer is C) Discretionary outlays can be changed during the annual budget process, whereas mandatory outlays cannot.

Step-by-step explanation:

Mandatory outlays such as Social Security and Medicare represent around 60% of the US Federal Budget. They are mandatory because each year, the total cost of these outlays must be funded by obligation, and the funding cannot me modified during the annual appropriation process in Congress.

Discretionary outlays, on the other hand, are subject to modification in Congress each year, either by the House or by the Senate, and they represent an important point of contention between the executive and the legislative.