Papers
View our recurring reports, which summarize and analyze the most important regular federal budget releases and reports.
It's Time for A Bipartisan Fiscal Commission
The national debt is on an unsustainable path, interest costs are exploding, and the Social Security and Medicare trust funds are approaching...
Medicaid Provider Taxes Inflate Federal Matching Funds
This paper is part of a series on Medicaid financing. Other papers in the series discuss an overview of state financing schemes and supplemental...
Q&A: Gross Debt Versus Debt Held by the Public
On September 15, 2023, the federal government's gross debt exceeded $33 trillion for the first time. This mark serves as an important reminder of the...
Government Shutdowns Q&A: Everything You Should Know
This paper has been updated here. The new fiscal year (FY) begins on October 1, 2023, and Congress has so far enacted none of the 12 appropriations...
Chartbook: Fiscal Challenges Facing the Next Administration
On August 23, Marc Goldwein, senior vice president and senior policy director of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, gave a presentation...
Principles for a Fiscally Responsible Campaign
US Budget Watch 2024 is a project of the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget designed to educate the public on the fiscal impact of...
Chartbook: The Fiscal Cost of Income-Driven Repayment (IDR)
The Biden Administration recently finalized a rule to significantly expand student loan Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) plan. Although the Supreme Court...
Chartbook: The Fiscal Outlook After the Debt Limit Deal
The recently-enacted Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) is the largest deficit reduction package in nearly a dozen years and an important step forward...
Analysis of CBO's June 2023 Long-Term Budget Outlook
Today, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released its June 2023 Long-Term Budget Outlook, projecting that the national debt is on an unsustainable...
Time to Fix Medicaid Financing Schemes
This paper is part of a series on Medicaid financing. Other papers in the series discuss provider taxes and supplemental payments . Medicaid is...
Major Challenges Await the Next Administration
US Budget Watch 2024 is a project of the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget designed to educate the public on the fiscal impact of...
Appropriations 101
This paper has been updated here. What are appropriations? How does Congress determine the total level of appropriations? How does Congress allocate...