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Explainers

The Fiscal & Economic Challenge

Discover why our fiscal health and economic strength are so closely tied, and why it is important to get the deficit under control and work toward a balanced budget.

https://www.pgpf.org/the-fiscal-and-economic-challenge

Explainers

Key Drivers of the National Debt

Many factors contribute to the long-term outlook for the U.S. economy and budget, but there are two major drivers of spending: demographics and rising healthcare costs.

https://www.pgpf.org/the-fiscal-and-economic-challenge/drivers

Explainers

3 Ways to Improve the Federal Budget Process

The current budget process is ill-suited for managing the nation’s long-term fiscal affairs. Learn about possible reforms to reimagine the budget process.

https://www.pgpf.org/finding-solutions/budget-process-reforms

Explainers

Complex Budget Terms and Processes — and Why They Matter

Understanding what’s happening on Capitol Hill requires an understanding of the Congressional budget process — which is notoriously technical, complex and arcane.

https://www.pgpf.org/budget-basics/understanding-complex-budget-terms-and-processes-and-why-they-matter

Explainers

Understanding the Budget

Policymakers use the federal budget process to establish spending priorities and identify revenue to pay for those activities.

https://www.pgpf.org/finding-solutions/understanding-the-budget

Explainers

Budget Basics: Spending

Federal Spending in the federal budget can be divided into three categories: mandatory, discretionary, and interest. Learn how these categories have changed over time.

https://www.pgpf.org/finding-solutions/understanding-the-budget/spending

Explainers

Jun 25, 2020

Budget Basics: Federal Trust Funds

Federal trust funds bear little resemblance to their private-sector counterparts.

https://www.pgpf.org/budget-basics/budget-explainer-what-are-federal-trust-funds

Explainers

Mar 9, 2020

What is PAYGO?

PAYGO is a budget enforcement mechanism intended to prevent passage of legislation that increases deficits.

https://www.pgpf.org/budget-basics/understanding-complex-budget-terms-and-processes-and-why-they-matter/what-is-paygo

Analysis

Feb 14, 2020

President's Budget Again Relies on Optimistic Economic Projections and Unlikely Spending Cuts

Following the pattern of previous years, this budget largely relies on very optimistic projections of economic growth and unlikely budget cuts to reduce the deficit.

https://www.pgpf.org/analysis/2020/02/presidents-budget-again-relies-on-optimistic-economic-projections-and-unlikely-spending-cuts

Analysis