Statement on CBO’s Budget and Economic Outlook
NEW YORK — Michael A. Peterson, President and CEO of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, commented today on the Congressional Budget Office’s Budget and Economic Outlook update:
“As a new president and Congress take office, one thing hasn’t changed: our nation’s fiscal outlook remains unsustainable. Now is the time to tackle this long-standing issue.
“In today’s report, CBO projects that deficits will reach $1 trillion by 2023 and total $9.4 trillion over the next ten years. As our debt grows, so too do our borrowing costs — crowding out important investments in our economic future. Interest alone is projected to total $5.2 trillion in the next ten years, according to CBO’s latest projection.
“The long-term imbalance between revenues and spending must be taken into account as lawmakers look to address major policy areas, including healthcare and tax reform. These reforms should improve our fiscal outlook in the decades ahead, by stabilizing our debt as a share of the economy.”
For more information, read our analysis of the CBO report.
Further Reading
How Does Labor Supply Impact the Fiscal Outlook?
Labor supply plays a central role in the United States’ fiscal outlook and currently stands at a turning point.
The Current Ratio of Workers to Social Security Beneficiaries Is at an All-Time Low and Projected to Decline Further
Social Security has been a cornerstone of economic security for more than 90 years, but the program is on unsound footing.
The Four Key Institutions in the Federal Budget Process
Four institutions provide the analytical foundation for nearly every federal budget decision.