What have budget trends been over the short and long term? Q.What have budget trends been over the short and long term? A. Federal budget deficits are largely driven by external events—war, recession—in the near term and by demography in the long run. When events conspire to drive revenues above the trend, tax cuts usually bring them down with alacrity. Read more about What have budget trends been over the short and long term?
How does the federal budget process work? Q.How does the budget process work? A.Ideally, following submission of the president’s budget proposal, Congress passes a concurrent budget resolution setting total spending, revenue, and deficit targets for at least the next five years, and then passes annual appropriation bills to fund discretionary programs and legislation to enact changes to mandatory programs and taxes. The process has typically broken down at various points in recent years, however, with Congress failing to pass a concurrent resolution or completing action on appropriations. Read more about How does the federal budget process work?
What is the Highway Trust Fund, and how is it financed? Q.What is the Highway Trust Fund, and how is it financed? A.The Highway Trust Fund finances most federal government spending for highways and mass transit. Revenues for the trust fund come from transportation-related excise taxes, primarily federal taxes on gasoline and diesel fuel. In recent years, however, the trust fund has needed significant transfers of general revenues to remain solvent. Read more about What is the Highway Trust Fund, and how is it financed?
