Tag Archives: debt

Debt Limit 101

Congress has voted to suspend the debt limit through March 15, 2017. But how could future lawmakers address this issue in order to save the federal government money and avoid future disruptions? Today’s WatchBlog examines the debt limit. What is … Continue reading

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GAO’s Strategic Issues Team

GAO’s workforce is organized largely by subject area, with most employees working in 1 of 14 mission teams. Today, we’ll spotlight the Strategic Issues (SI) team, which focuses on helping Congress and federal agencies address the governance and management challenges … Continue reading

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Projecting the Future of Federal Finances: Long-Term Fiscal Simulations

Since 1992, we have prepared long-term fiscal simulations to show federal deficits and debt under different sets of policy assumptions. Our latest update shows that the federal government continues to face a long-term fiscal sustainability challenge.

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Fiscal Exposures: 5 Sources of Risk that Drive Future Spending

In tandem with today’s release of our audit of the federal government’s fiscal year 2014 consolidated financial statements, we want to highlight our work on fiscal exposures. This is a term that describes services or expenditures that Americans may expect, … Continue reading

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Considering College Costs Beyond Tuition

If you’re heading to college this fall, you may be focused on the major costs—tuition and fees, possibly room and board. We have examined some of the other costs of college, such as textbooks and college debit cards, that can … Continue reading

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The National Flood Insurance Program: a High-Risk Business

The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is a key component of the federal government’s efforts to limit the damage and financial impact of floods. However, it likely will not generate sufficient revenues to repay the billions of dollars borrowed from … Continue reading

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Navigating the Complexities of the Federal Budget

The President and Congress use the federal budget process to help allocate federal funds among competing demands. The 2015 President’s Budget (which will be released on March 4th), is the President’s principal policy statement; the administration’s plan for funding the … Continue reading

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