The Latest
The Peter G. Peterson Foundation is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization focused on building a brighter economic future for all Americans. Browse our latest content and updates.
News
July 14, 2025
What Are Interest Costs on the National Debt?
Interest costs are on track to become the largest category of spending in the federal budget.
July 7, 2025
Chart Pack: Fiscal Outlook
The national debt is already at its highest level since just after World War II, and annual deficits are on an upward trajectory.
July 3, 2025
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act Is the Most Expensive Reconciliation Package in Recent History
This week, lawmakers in Congress approved reconciliation legislation that will add trillions of dollars to America’s already unsustainable fiscal trajectory
July 3, 2025
Peterson Foundation Statement on Passage of Budget Reconciliation Legislation
The true fiscal damage of the bill may be much greater, if the temporary tax cuts are extended and the delayed spending cuts fail to materialize.
July 2, 2025
Healthcare Costs Are a Major Driver of the National Debt and Here’s the Biggest Reason Why
One of the largest drivers of that rising debt is federal spending on major healthcare programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid.
June 30, 2025
Lifting the Debt Ceiling Has Been Paired with Budget Reform in the Past
Earlier this year, the United States once again hit its debt ceiling, which is currently capped at $36.1 trillion.
June 30, 2025
U.S. Healthcare System Ranks Seventh Worldwide — Innovative but Fiscally Unsustainable
Spending on healthcare in the United States has far outpaced other major healthcare systems without yielding better outcomes.
June 28, 2025
Peterson Foundation Statement on Senate Reconciliation Bill
“Unfortunately, the Senate reconciliation bill would add trillions of dollars in red ink to our already unsustainable national debt.”
June 27, 2025
Chart Pack: Healthcare
These charts illustrate the growth in U.S. healthcare spending and how it affects the federal budget.