[Jim Robinson]

Is that multi-year thing in the constitution or just a gentlemen’s agreement?

[BuckeyeTexan]

According to my research, the Constitution doesn’t stipulate how Congress must exercise the power of the purse. So the process itself would be up to Congress.

Here’s a brief analysis and flow chart.

http://nationalpriorities.org/budget-basics/federal-budget-101/federal-budget-process/