Course

Course Summary
Credit Type:
Course
ACE ID:
NFSI-0085
Organization's ID:
PA215
Organization:
Foreign Service Institute
Location:
Classroom-based
Length:
4 days (24 hours)
Dates Offered:
Credit Recommendation & Competencies
Level Credits (SH) Subject
Lower-Division Baccalaureate 2 Business, Business Law, Public Administration, or Administrative Law
Description

Objective:

The course objective is to teach the fundamentals of appropriation law and its impact on federal agencies' funding and spending authorities to U.S. Department of State and other agencies' employees engaged in financial budgeting, accounting, and procurement activities that are frequently faced with situations requiring discretionary judgment to implement regulations appropriately. So that these employees may be better equipped to act within the spirit and the letter of the law, the Department of State offers this course to provide the legal framework for agencies' use of appropriations approved by Congress with regard to purpose, time, and amount.

Learning Outcomes:

  • Describe the sequence of events involved in the Congressional appropriation and authorization process
  • Differentiate between appropriation, authorization, allotment, and apportionment as it applies to the Department of State
  • Identify the limitations of appropriations (as to time, purpose, and amount)
  • Describe how the decisions of the Government Accountability Office's Comptroller General affect the fiscal operations of the government
  • Describe the process for assessing liability and obtaining relief of accountable officers
  • Describe the steps and guidelines for reprogramming funds
  • Apply legal principles to the appropriations process

General Topics:

  • Decision making
  • Choosing the appropriate appropriations as required by law
  • Financial management
  • Proper use of financial and budgetary resources
  • Job information
  • Gathering and applying information from various sources
  • Ethics with practical examples that demonstrate consequences of appropriations law violations
Instruction & Assessment

Instructional Strategies:

  • Audio Visual Materials
  • Case Studies
  • Classroom Exercise
  • Computer Based Training
  • Discussion
  • Lectures
  • Practical Exercises

Methods of Assessment:

  • Examinations

Minimum Passing Score:

80%
Supplemental Materials