Search Results

open access

Inflation: Core vs. Headline

Description: Inflation measures the rate of change in all prices. Maintaining low and stable inflation is one of the primary goals of macroeconomic policy. But how should inflation be measured? Policymakers, particularly at the Federal Reserve, often refer to core inflation in their policy decisions. Core inflation is commonly defined as a measure of inflation that omits changes in food and energy prices. However, several studies have failed to find core inflation to be a good forecaster of future inflatio… more
Date: May 1, 2008
Creator: Labonte, Marc
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Baseline Budget Projections: A Discussion of Issues

Description: Between January 2001 and January 2005, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) reduced its 10-year baseline projection for the period 2002-2011 from a peak surplus of $5.6 trillion to a deficit of $2.6 trillion for three reasons. First, about one third of the reduction is due to technical revisions CBO made to its projections (e.g., to account for the smaller than predicted growth in tax revenues). Second, the recession both reduced revenues and raised outlays automatically. This factor accounts … more
Date: March 1, 2005
Creator: Labonte, Marc
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

The Magnitude of Changes That Would Be Required to Balance the FY2006 Budget

Description: A balanced federal budget is a bipartisan goal of many Members of Congress. In addition, moving the budget closer to balance is a long-term necessity because the national debt cannot grow as a percentage of GDP indefinitely, as it would under current policy. The budget deficit in FY2006 is projected to be between $295 billion and $400 billion.
Date: February 24, 2005
Creator: Labonte, Marc
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Social Security and Medicare: The Economic Implications of Current Policy

Description: The retirement of the baby boomers, rising life expectancy, and the rising cost of medical care are projected to place current federal policy on an unsustainable fiscal basis over the next several decades. Social Security outlays are projected to rise from 4% of gross domestic product (GDP) today to 6% of GDP in 2030 and Medicare and Medicaid outlays rise from 4% today to as much as 12% of GDP in 2030 and 21% of GDP in 2050. These increases in spending are not expected to subside after the baby… more
Date: January 28, 2005
Creator: Labonte, Marc
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

The Government's Long-Term Fiscal Shortfall: How Much is Attributable to Social Security?

Description: One reason that Social Security reform is on the congressional agenda is the large projected long-term fiscal shortfall facing Social Security, estimated at an average of 0.9% of gross domestic product (GDP) between now and 2080. But relatively little attention has been given to the potential long-term shortfall faced by the rest of the government, which is estimated to be more than 6.5 times larger than Social Security’s shortfall
Date: August 29, 2005
Creator: Labonte, Marc
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

What if the National Debt Were Eliminated? Some Economic Consequences

Description: Asthe budget has moved from a position of large deficitsto large surpluses, then back to deficit again, a debate has emerged about the desirability of retiring the national debt. Although the national debt would not be retired under current baseline forecasts, it remains an important element of the budget surplus debate. By the end of the baseline window, the national debt is forecast to reach its lowest level in the post-war period as a percentage of GDP despite the dramatic deterioration in t… more
Date: July 14, 2000
Creator: Labonte, Marc
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Financial Regulation: Fiscal Year 2018 Appropriations and the Financial CHOICE Act (H.R. 10)

Description: This report discusses the Financial CHOICE Act (H.R. 10) and the FY 2018 Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) Appropriations Bill (H.R. 3354, Division D). The Senate Appropriations Committee released an FY2018 FSGG chairmen's mark on November 20, 2017, but further action has yet to occur on the bill. Much of the federal government, including agencies covered by FSGG appropriations, has been operating for the first part of FY2018 under a continuing resolution effective through Decemb… more
Date: December 7, 2017
Creator: Webel, Baird & Labonte, Marc
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Foreign Holdings of Federal Debt

Description: This report presents current data on estimated ownership of U.S. Treasury securities and major holders of federal debt by country. Federal debt represents the accumulated balance of borrowing by the federal government.
Date: July 3, 2012
Creator: Murray, Justin & Labonte, Marc
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Foreign Holdings of Federal Debt

Description: This report presents current data on estimated ownership of U.S. Treasury securities and major holders of federal debt by country. Federal debt represents the accumulated balance of borrowing by the federal government.
Date: March 25, 2011
Creator: Murray, Justin & Labonte, Marc
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Monetary Policy: Current Policy and Conditions

Description: This report discusses monetary policy, which can also be defined in terms of the directives, policies, statements, and actions of the Federal Reserve, particularly those from its Board of Governors that have an effect on aggregate demand or national spending.
Date: July 21, 2004
Creator: Labonte, Marc & Makinen, Gail
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Social Security Reform: Economic Issues

Description: This report tackles the issue of Social Security reform from an economic perspective that focuses not merely on reform that achieves programmatic sustainability (sustainability within the trust fund), but reform that achieves sustainability for the government and economy as a whole. The President has indicated that Social Security reform will be a major issue in the 109th Congress. For some time comprehensive reform has been an issue of debate in Congress, but no major action has occurred.
Date: December 3, 2004
Creator: Gravelle, Jane & Labonte, Marc
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Foreign Holdings of Federal Debt

Description: This report presents current data on estimated ownership of U.S. Treasury securities and major holders of federal debt by country. Federal debt represents the accumulated balance of borrowing by the federal government. To finance federal borrowing, U.S. Treasury securities are sold to investors, directly from the Treasury or on the secondary market to individual private investors, financial institutions in the United States or overseas, and foreign, state, or local governments.
Date: March 24, 2010
Creator: Murray, Justin & Labonte, Marc
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Government Interventions in Response to Financial Turmoil

Description: This report reviews new programs introduced and other actions taken by the Treasury, Federal Reserve, and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation in response to the recent financial crisis. It does not cover longstanding programs such as the Fed's discount window and FDIC receivership of failed banks.
Date: February 1, 2010
Creator: Webel, Baird & Labonte, Marc
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

The Impact of Major Legislation on Budget Deficits: 2001 to 2009

Description: This report examines to what extent major legislative changes from 2001 to 2009 caused the budget to move from surplus to deficit. Legislative actions taken in 2009 increased the FY2009 deficit by $509 billion, whereas legislative actions taken between 2001 and 2008 increased the FY2009 deficit by $903 billion. Furthermore, legislative changes have cumulatively increased federal budget deficits over FY2001 to FY2009 by $5.4 trillion.
Date: March 23, 2010
Creator: Labonte, Marc & Hanna, Andrew
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Financing Issues and Economic Effects of American Wars

Description: This report examines financing and economic issues in World War II, the Korean Conflict, the Vietnam Conflict, the Reagan Military Buildup, and the 1991 and 2003 wars in Iraq. It examines tax policy, non-military outlays, the budget balance, economic growth, inflation, and interest rates during these periods.
Date: July 29, 2008
Creator: Labonte, Marc & Levit, Mindy
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
Back to Top of Screen