Sep 11, 2017 | Budgets & Projections
Q&A: Gross Debt Versus Debt Held by the Public
On September 8, the federal government's gross debt exceeded $20 trillion for the first time. This mark serves as an important reminder of the nation...
Papers
View our recurring reports, which summarize and analyze the most important regular federal budget releases and reports.
Q&A: Everything You Should Know About Government Shutdowns
It’s déjà vu all over again, again – Congress seems to be waiting until the last minute to address several important fiscal priorities. One of the...
Sep 5, 2017 | Budgets & Projections
Q&A: Everything You Should Know About the Debt Ceiling
One issue that must be addressed this month is the federal debt ceiling, which was reinstated on March 16, 2017 as the debt approached...
Aug 30, 2017 | Taxes
Tax Reform Should Not Add to the Debt – Here's 5 Reasons Why
As lawmakers return from recess and move onto the fall's agenda, tax reform remains the top priority for both Congress and the Administration. The...
Aug 10, 2017 | Budget Process
Updated Appropriations 101
What are appropriations?
Appropriations are annual decisions made by Congress about how the federal government spends some of its money. In general...
Aug 9, 2017 | Budget Process
Letter to Chairman Enzi Encouraging A Current Law Baseline
Below is a letter from CRFB to Senate Budget Committee Chairman Mike Enzi (R-WY) encouraging the committee to use a current law baseline.
We...
Aug 4, 2017 | Budgets & Projections
The FY 2018 House Budget and Budget Gimmicks
The House Budget Committee recently passed a Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 budget resolution that proposes a path to a balanced budget after ten years...
A Mini-Bargain to Improve the Budget
The national debt is currently at its highest share of the economy since just after World War II and is set to rise rapidly. Fixing our unsustainable...
Jul 17, 2017 | Taxes
Response to Chairman Hatch’s Call for Feedback on Tax Reform
Below is a statement from CRFB submitted to the Senate Finance Committee in response to Chairman Orrin Hatch's request for feedback on potential tax...
Jul 13, 2017 | Social Security
Analysis of the 2017 Social Security Trustees Report
The Social Security and Medicare Trustees today released their annual reports on the financial status of the two programs. The projections show that...
Jul 13, 2017 | Budgets & Projections
CBO’s Analysis of the President’s FY 2018 Budget
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released its estimate of the President’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 budget, using its own assumptions to evaluate...
Jun 29, 2017 | Budgets & Projections
Analysis of CBO’s Updated Budget and Economic Outlook (June 2017)
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released updated budget and economic projections today, continuing to show an unsustainable picture of debt...
Jun 7, 2017 | Budgets & Projections
All the President's Budget Gimmicks
The Trump Administration recently released its full Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 budget proposal, which details the President’s policies for federal...
May 24, 2017 | Budgets & Projections
President Trump’s Full FY 2018 Budget
The President released the full version of his first budget yesterday, laying out his proposals for Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 and the following decade....
May 23, 2017 | Budgets & Projections
Re-Estimating the President’s Budget with Reasonable Economic Assumptions
Today, the President released his full Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 budget proposal. The Administration finds that its policies would balance the budget by...
May 19, 2017 | Budgets & Projections
What We'd Like to See in President Trump's Full FY 2018 Budget
After releasing its “skinny budget” in March, the Trump Administration is slated to release its full budget request outlining the President’s...
May 18, 2017 | Taxes
Written Testimony: How Tax Reform Will Grow Our Economy and Create Jobs Across America
Below is a statement from CRFB submitted for the record to the House Ways & Means Committee for a hearing on: “How Tax Reform Will Grow Our...
May 18, 2017 | Economics
How Fast Can America Grow?
Official projections show real economic growth will average less than 2 percent annually over the next decade. However, some policymakers have...
May 18, 2017 | Economics
Policies to Grow the Economy
The aging of the population will make achieving past levels of economic growth much more difficult in the years ahead. The Congressional Budget...
May 16, 2017 | Budgets & Projections
Eight Gimmicks to Look Out For This Budget Season
In the coming days and weeks, the Trump Administration is expected to release its full Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 budget proposal, and the House and...
