According to the official poverty measure of the U.S. Census Bureau, 37.9 million people lived in poverty in 2022.
The 12 annual appropriation bills are a key part of the annual budget process that lawmakers must enact to keep the government functioning regularly.
In around six years, the national debt will likely exceed its all-time high of 106 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), which occurred in 1946.
It may be counterintuitive, but government shutdowns are expensive. They are also bad for the economy.
CBO now expects that 3-month interest rates will peak at around 5.3 percent this year and only fall to 3.2 percent by the end of 2025.
Rising inflation usually prompts higher interest rates, which in turn boost interest paid on the federal debt and thereby increase annual deficits.
Let's take a closer look at a few key characteristics of Treasury borrowing that can affect its budgetary cost.
The Children's Health Insurance Program is a key piece of the social safety net and is aiding in the economic recovery.
Fitch Ratings recently downgraded the U.S. long-term credit rating from its top mark of AAA to AA+.
Unless lawmakers act, Social Security beneficiaries could soon see significant cuts in benefits.
More
