Various budget acts require that the President submit and that Congress pass a budget . These documents are not law and do not need to match like a law passed by both houses and signed by the President . Congress and the President must pass appropriations bills , these fund the department and agencies of government . Appropriations bills are a basic Constitutional function of the federal government . Budget how we want to spend moneyApprops how money is spentYou confuse the filibuster with holds which prevent unanimous consent UC agreements . This is common because the term filibuster has been used to refer to the traditional talking filibuster where a member holds the floor until he gives it up think Mr . Smith and the more recent silent filibuster or nontalking filibuster which is the result of holds . The majority may believe it has the 60 vote majority to break a hold , it takes time which is why the Senate rarely moves to invoke cloture .