Papers
View our recurring reports, which summarize and analyze the most important regular federal budget releases and reports.
Chartbook: From Riches to Rags: Causes of Fiscal Deterioration Since 2001
On January 31, Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget senior vice president and senior policy director Marc Goldwein gave a presentation on our...
Government Shutdowns Q&A: Everything You Should Know
This paper has been updated here. The second continuing resolution (CR) for fiscal year (FY) 2024 expires in two tranches, the first of which funds 4...
From Riches to Rags: Causes of Fiscal Deterioration Since 2001
In 2001, the federal government ran a $128 billion budget surplus and was projected to pay off the national debt by 2009. Since then, the government...
Government Shutdowns Q&A: Everything You Should Know
This paper has been updated here. The first continuing resolution (CR) for fiscal year (FY) 2024 expires on November 17, 2023, and Congress has so far...
Chartbook: R versus G and the National Debt
On October 31, Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget senior vice president and senior policy director Marc Goldwein gave a presentation on the...
The Budget Act At 50 – Budget Process Reform Recommendations for the 118th Congress
The Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act will turn 50 next year, and the budget process is showing its age. The current budget process is...
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...