There is no definitive release date for the president’s FY 2022 budget request, though inside sources tell MOAA it will come in mid- to late April, almost three months later than normal – confirming the timeline put forward by Rep. John Yarmuth (D-Ky.), the House Budget Committee chairman.

The president is required by law to submit the administration’s annual federal budget request to Congress no later than the first Monday of February every year. While the delay with President Joe Biden’s budget request is significant, it is not unprecedented for new administrations to deliver their requests late.

This delay, while not unheard of, puts Congress on the clock to meet the end-of-fiscal-year deadline to pass all 12 of its appropriations bills in about five months, ensuring the federal government is funded when the new fiscal year begins. Unfortunately, Congress has faced challenges meeting the Oct. 1 deadline for enacting the annual budget. Without fail, over the last two decades, the federal government has started a new fiscal year operating under a continuing resolution.

[RELATED: This Key Military Pay Indicator Is Bouncing Back. But Will It Matter?]

The upcoming fiscal year’s defense, VA, and other national security budgets are likely to be tighter compared to previous fiscal years due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and the potential for the administration or lawmakers to seek cost savings through offsets from the uniform service and veteran communities as concerns over the growing national debt become more intense.

MOAA will continue to engage with Congress and the administration to ensure those in uniform and veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors are prioritized in this upcoming year’s budget. MOAA’s upcoming annual advocacy campaign, Advocacy in Action, will be the launch event for our engagement on the FY 2022 NDAA and appropriations bills; for more information, go to MOAA.org/AIA.