Federal Budget Analysis: Debt & Deficit

Competing Visions: President Obama, Rep. Paul Ryan, Sen. Patty Murray, and House Progressives Release Budget Proposals for 2014

March 14, 2013

National Priorities Project examines how new budget proposals stack up against what Americans want.


Sequestration, the Pentagon, and the States

Feb. 21, 2013

Sequestration, the Pentagon, and the States offers selected state-level briefs focused on the local impact of looming automatic across-the-board federal spending cuts known as sequestration and historically high levels of Pentagon spending.


Federal Budget Timeline: Beyond the Fiscal Cliff in 2013

Jan. 9, 2013

The federal budget process is always complicated. This is truer today than perhaps ever before. Over the coming weeks and months Congress will take on issues that will shape our government for years to come.


The Fiscal Cliff Deal

Jan. 2, 2013

At the eleventh hour, Congress and President Obama reached a deal to address the fiscal cliff. The deal focused on tax revenue and included a number of changes to the tax code, including a permanent extension of the Bush-era tax cuts on income below $450,000 for families and below $400,000 for individuals.


What is the Fiscal Cliff? Resources on the Bush Tax Cuts, Sequestration, and the Lame Duck Congress

Nov. 7, 2012

In the coming weeks, Congress will take on the fiscal cliff and make decisions about the Bush tax cuts, the automatic spending cuts known as sequestration, and a host of other tax and spending issues that will affect every American. We've got all the details in plain English so you can follow these important negotiations and tell Congress your priorities.


Election 2012: The Voter Guide

Sept. 7, 2012

National Priorities Project's suite of resources for the 2012 election: A comparison of the presidential candidates on 12 key issues, plus fact sheets with crucial background information on Medicare, Social Security, taxes, and more.

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The Untold Story of Deficits in Washington

July 19, 2012

In 2000, the federal government had a balanced budget and projected surpluses for years to come. Fast forward a decade, and Washington runs steep budget deficits while news media report that federal spending is out of control. But deficits depend on two things: spending and revenue. In 2000, when the budget was balanced, federal tax revenue amounted to around 20 percent of the U.S. economy.

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President Obama's Fiscal Year 2013 Budget

Feb. 29, 2012

On Feb. 13, the president released his budget proposal for FY 2013. National Priorities Project looks at the numbers, the history behind them, and why the president's budget matters.

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An Economy That’s Built to Last: The 2012 State of the Union Address

Jan. 26, 2012

National Priorities Project takes apart President Obama’s last State of the Union Address in his first term as president.


Year End Wrap-Up

Sept. 28, 2011

September 30th marks the end of the fiscal year for the U.S. Government, and if you've had trouble following events in Washington, you're in good company. NPP pulls together key events of 2011 and offers a look ahead to critical decisions awaiting our elected officials.