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Budget Basics Archive
The earned income tax credit (EITC) is a measure administered through the tax code to address poverty. It was first enacted in 1975 on a temporary basis amid broader debates about welfare reform and had the primary goal of encouraging people to obtain employment.
Most working Americans are subject to payroll taxes, which are usually deducted automatically from an employee’s paycheck. Employers are also often subject to these types of taxes.
The fairness of our federal tax system is a hotly debated issue. Too often, however, those debates confuse or misrepresent important facts because they focus on one type of tax in isolation rather than the various taxes that people face in aggregate.
Medicaid’s role in state budgets is unique, since the program acts as both an expenditure and the largest source of federal support in state budgets.
Reconciliation provides for expedited consideration of certain legislation; its use is particularly important in the Senate because it limits the time allowed for debate and prevents the inclusion of non-budgetary provisions.
This budget explainer describes what Medicaid is, how it is financed, and who benefits from it.
The United States spent $686 billion on national defense during fiscal year (FY) 2019 according to the Office of Management and Budget, which amounts to 15 percent of the federal budget.
Climate and weather-related natural disasters are becoming increasingly frequent. In addition to endangering lives, they are economically costly.
Although the need for serious, long-term changes to the funding structure of the Highway Trust Fund is clear, there is disagreement over the approach to do so.
Medicare is an essential health insurance program serving millions of Americans, and a major part of the federal budget and our fiscal outlook.