Office of Legislative Affairs and Budget (OLAB)

Office of Legislative Affairs and Budget

Mission Statement

The Office of Legislative Affairs and Budget provides leadership in the development of legislation, budget, and policy for the Administration for Children and Families. Our goal is to ensure consistency in these areas among program and staff offices, keeping in mind ACF’s overall mission of promoting the health and well-being of individuals and communities.

Program Description

OLAB advises the assistant secretary for children and families on all policy and programmatic matters which substantially impact the agency’s legislative program, budget development, budget execution and regulatory agenda. The office serves as the primary contact for the department, the executive branch and the Congress on all legislative, budget development and execution and regulatory activities.

What We Do

Our office includes two division:

Division of Budget is responsible for:

Preparing all major ACF budget documents
Coordinating execution of the entire ACF budget
Forecasting budget authority needs, expenditures and outlays for mandatory spending and discretionary spending programs such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Foster Care and Adoption Assistance, Child Care Development Fund, Child Support Enforcement, Head Start and Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
Working closely with program staff to integrate performance goals and measures into the budget process

Division of Legislative and Regulatory Affairs is responsible for:

Coordinating the development of legislative proposals, including reauthorization of program funding
Monitoring legislative activity related to ACF programs
Responding to congressional requests, such as requests for technical assistance on legislation
Preparing agency witnesses for congressional hearings

Brief History

The creation of OLAB was approved on May 11, 2000, see Federal Register (Volume 65, Number 92).