Overview of the Federal Debt

Austin, D. Andrew

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.

关键词: Federal debt;    Public debt;    Federal budgets;    Deficit reduction;    Budget deficits;   

RP-ID  :  R41815
RP-ID  :  R41815_2011May11

美国|英语

来源: UNT Digital Library

【 摘 要 】

The size of current and projected federal deficits and the accumulation of federal debt are central to current congressional deliberations regarding fiscal reforms. This report provides a broad overview of the federal debt, annual budget deficits, and debt service costs. Federal debt is the accumulated sum of unrepaid borrowing by the federal government over time. The total federal debt consists of debt held by the public and intragovernmental debt. Debt owed to the public represents borrowing from entities other than the federal government, and includes borrowing from state and local governments, foreign governments and investors, the Federal Reserve System, and foreign central banks, as well as private investors in the United States.