You are mistaken. Discretionary spending is spending that Congress allocates during the annual appropriation process, while mandatory spending is spending that

You are mistaken. Discretionary spending is spending that Congress allocates during the annual appropriation process, while mandatory spending is spending that is required by prior law. See https://fiscaldata.treasury.gov/americas-finance-guide/federal-spending/#the-difference-between-mandatory-discretionary-and-supplemental-spending https://fiscaldata.treasury.gov/americas-finance-guide/feder...