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F I S C A L

Y E A R

2 0 0 7

MID-SESSION REVIEW
BUDGET OF THE U.S. GOVERNMENT

EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20503
The Director

July 11, 2006

The Honorable J. Dennis Hastert
Speaker of the House
of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Mr. Speaker:
Section 1106 of Title 31, United States Code, calls for the President to transmit to the
Congress a supplemental update of the Budget that was transmitted to the Congress earlier in the
year. This supplemental update of the Budget, commonly known as the Mid-Session Review,
contains revised estimates of the budget deficit, receipts, outlays, and budget authority for fiscal
years 2006 through 2011.

Sincerely,

Rob Portman

Enclosure

Identical Letter Sent to The President of the Senate

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page

Transmittal Letter
List of Charts and Tables ..................................................................................................

iii

Summary ............................................................................................................................

Economic Assumptions ......................................................................................................

Receipts ...............................................................................................................................

Spending .............................................................................................................................

Summary Tables ................................................................................................................

Glossary ..............................................................................................................................

GENERAL NOTES
1. All years referred to are fiscal years unless otherwise noted.
2. All totals in the text and tables display both on-budget and
off-budget spending and receipts unless otherwise noted.
3. Details in the tables and text may not add to totals due to
rounding.
4. Web address: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget

LIST OF CHARTS
Page

Chart 1.

Cutting the Deficit in Half ............................................................................

Chart 2.

Strong Economy = Strong Receipts ..............................................................

Chart 3.

Receipts as a Percent of GDP .......................................................................

Chart 4.

Declining Federal Debt .................................................................................

Chart 5.

2006 Governmental Outlays .........................................................................

LIST OF TABLES
Table 1.

Changes from the February Budget .........................................................

Table 2.

Economic Assumptions ...............................................................................

Table 3.

Comparison of Economic Assumptions .....................................................

Table 4.

Change in Receipts .....................................................................................

Table 5.

Change in Outlays ......................................................................................

Table S–1.

Budget Totals .............................................................................................

Table S–2.

Discretionary Totals ..................................................................................

Table S–3.

Growth in Discretionary Budget Authority by Major Agency ................

Table S–4.

Homeland Security Funding by Agency ...................................................

Table S–5.

Mandatory Proposals .................................................................................

Table S–6.

Receipts Proposals .....................................................................................

Table S–7.

Budget Summary by Category ..................................................................

Table S–8.

Receipts by Source .....................................................................................

Table S–9.

Outlays by Agency .....................................................................................

Table S–10.

Outlays by Function ..................................................................................

Table S–11.

Current Services Baseline Category Totals .............................................

Table S–12.

Outlays for Mandatory Programs Under Current Law ..........................

Table S–13.

Federal Government Financing and Debt ...............................................

iii

SUMMARY
Since the President’s 2007 Budget was
released in February, the Federal budget
outlook has improved dramatically. This MidSession Review of the Budget updates the
estimates of the Government’s receipts, outlays, and deficit to reflect economic changes,
legislative action, and other developments
since February.
Due to the strong performance of the
Nation’s economy, revenues for the current
fiscal year are now forecast to grow at
a double-digit rate—11 percent. Largely as
a result of these increased revenues, the
projected budget deficit for 2006 has fallen
from $423 billion, or 3.2 percent of Gross
Domestic Product (GDP), to $296 billion,
or 2.3 percent of GDP. This projected deficit
is equal to the 40-year average of 2.3 percent
of GDP and is lower than the deficits in
17 of the past 25 years. The improved
deficit outlook continues over the next five
years, indicating that the President is on
track to meet his goal of cutting the deficit
in half by 2008, a year ahead of schedule,

from its projected 2004 peak of 4.5 percent
of GDP, or $521 billion.
A robust economy and the resulting revenue
increases drove this improved deficit outlook
despite significant expenditures for the Global
War on Terror and Gulf Coast rebuilding
efforts, including the recently enacted emergency supplemental appropriations bill. In
addition, to reflect reasonably anticipated future expenditures of the ongoing operations
in Afghanistan and Iraq, the Mid-Session
Review includes all the known costs that
will be incurred in 2006, the full costs
currently anticipated for next year, and an
allowance of $50 billion for 2008.
STRONG ECONOMY
The Administration is pursuing pro-growth
economic policies and spending restraint to
reduce the budget deficit. Since the Congress
enacted and fully implemented the President’s
tax relief program in 2003, the Nation has
experienced
strong,
sustained
economic
growth. In addition to tax relief, the President
has worked with the Congress to strengthen

Chart 1. Cutting the Deficit in Half
Percent of GDP

5
February (2004-2006) Budget Projections

4.5

Actuals

4
3.6

MSR Estimates
3.5
3.2

3
2.6
2.3

2.4

Goal of 2.2%

2
1.3
1.0

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

0.8

0.7

2010

2011

MID–SESSION REVIEW

the economy through a number of initiatives,
including eliminating trade barriers and opening overseas markets to American products
and services, reducing unnecessary litigation,
limiting the burden of Government paperwork
and regulations, adopting reforms in public
education, and promoting research and innovation.

The growing economy, increased employment
opportunities, and increased labor productivity
translate into increased income for Americans.
Since January 2001, after-tax income has
increased 12.9 percent in real (inflation-adjusted) terms, and on a per capita basis
real, after-tax, personal income has risen
7.2 percent.

Due in part to the President’s economic
policy, the economy has grown for 18 consecutive quarters, with growth at an annualized
rate of 3.3 percent or better in every quarter
but one beginning in early 2003. This sustained growth is particularly impressive in
light of the series of challenges the Nation
has faced over the past five and a half
years—the stock market decline, recession,
the terrorist attacks of 9/11, the ensuing
Global War on Terror, devastating hurricanes,
and significant energy price increases.

Even with sustained economic growth, inflationary pressures remain contained and are
not expected to be significant in the future.
Excluding volatile energy prices, inflation has
been relatively low and stable over the past
five years, with the core Personal Consumption
Expenditure price index rising just 2.1 percent
over the past 12 months. Looking ahead,
inflation is expected to remain relatively
low beyond 2006 in part because energy
prices are projected to stabilize.

Despite these challenges, the economy grew
at a faster pace than expected at the beginning
of calendar year 2006, 5.6 percent, and at
a faster pace than at any other time during
the past two and one-half years. Since the
beginning of 2003, real, or inflation-adjusted,
GDP growth has averaged 4.0 percent per
year, exceeding the post-World War II average
of 3.4 percent per year. The projected rate
of real economic growth is expected to remain
strong through 2006 and into 2007, and
to moderate only slightly for the remainder
of the forecast period, 2008–2011.
This strong economic growth has resulted
in increased employment opportunities for
Americans. Nearly 2 million jobs have been
created during the past year, and 5.4 million
jobs have been created since August 2003.
In addition, the unemployment rate has fallen
this year to 4.6 percent, which is lower
than the average rate for each of the past
four decades.
Labor productivity, which reflects the efficiency of the labor force, has increased significantly in the past several years, in part
because of the President’s pro-growth economic
policies. The current decade has witnessed
the strongest period of sustained growth
in labor productivity in the Nation since
the 1960s, with non-farm productivity growth
averaging 3.3 percent per year since the
beginning of 2001.

The Role of Tax Relief
Over the past five years the President
has signed legislation to reduce taxes for
the Nation’s workers, families, retirees, and
businesses, thereby stimulating and sustaining
a strong economy. The President proposed
and the Congress enacted tax provisions
reducing marginal tax rates, doubling the
child tax credit, reducing the marriage penalty,
reducing capital gains and dividend tax rates,
encouraging retirement savings, eliminating
the estate tax, and increasing incentives
for small business investment.
Most recently, on May 17, 2006, the President signed the Tax Increase Prevention
and Reconciliation Act of 2005, extending
for two years through 2010 his 2003 proposals
cutting capital gains and dividend tax rates
and extending an incentive to encourage
investment by small businesses through 2009.
Congress’ action to extend these provisions
will maintain a healthy business climate
for long-term investment. The President continues to advocate making his tax relief
program permanent, rather than allowing
it to expire at the end of this decade,
because of the beneficial effect the tax relief
has had and will continue to have on the
economy, as discussed in the accompanying
text box.

SUMMARY

A DYNAMIC ANALYSIS OF PERMANENT EXTENSION OF THE
PRESIDENT’S TAX RELIEF
The President’s tax relief has provided important benefits to the U.S. economy. This relief has
come through lower tax rates on individual ordinary income, lower tax rates on capital gains
and dividends, a new 10 percent tax rate for lower-income Americans, doubling of the child tax
credit, marriage penalty relief, and phase-out and eventual repeal of the death tax. These policies stimulated economic growth and moved the economy out of the 2001 recession more quickly
and will encourage greater economic growth in the longer term by increasing the after-tax reward from work, saving, and investment.
Effect of the Tax Relief in the Near Term
In 2003, real GDP was below its potential level and the unemployment rate was elevated. There
is strong evidence that the tax relief substantially improved economic performance in the near
term.
First, since the passage of the tax relief in 2001 through 2003 growth in national output (i.e.,
GDP) has accelerated. The recovery from the economic downturn of 2001 had been sluggish up
through the first quarter in 2003. Real GDP growth in the nine quarters preceding the 2003 tax
relief averaged 1.1 percent at an annual rate, while the growth rate in the 12 quarters since the
passage of the tax relief has averaged 4.0 percent, exceeding the average real growth rate since
World War II of 3.4 percent. The increase in national output was the result of both increased
capital use and increased employment; approximately 5.4 million jobs have been created since
mid-2003.
Second, the Treasury Department previously compared how the economy would have performed
if there had been no tax relief. An analysis of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001, the Job Creation and Worker Assistance Act of 2002, and the Jobs and
Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003 shows that the tax relief has increased employment substantially above what would have occurred otherwise.
In this analysis, the Treasury Department used the Macroeconomic Advisers macro-econometric
model to estimate how the economy would have performed had there been no fiscal stimulus
from 2001 through 2004. This analysis found that: (1) by the second quarter of 2003, the economy would have created as many as 1.5 million fewer jobs and GDP would have been as much
as 2 percent lower, and (2) by the end of 2004, the economy would have created as many as 3
million fewer jobs and real GDP would be as much as 3.5 to 4.0 percent lower. (These results assume interest rates followed the same path as they did historically from 2001 forward.)
Effect of Permanent Tax Relief on Economic Performance in the Long Run
Beyond short-term economic stimulus, the President’s tax relief also helps encourage economic
growth in the longer term. The lower tax rates enable workers to keep more of their earnings,
which helps increase work effort and labor force participation. The lower tax rates also enable
innovative and risk-taking entrepreneurs to keep more of what they earn, which further encourages their entrepreneurial activity. The lower tax rates on dividends and capital gains lower the
cost of equity capital and reduce the tax biases against dividend payment, equity finance, and
investment in the corporate sector. All of these policies improve incentives for work, saving, and
investment by reducing the distorting effects of taxes. Capital investment and labor productivity
will thus be higher, which means higher output and living standards in the long run.

MID–SESSION REVIEW

A DYNAMIC ANALYSIS OF PERMANENT EXTENSION OF THE
PRESIDENT’S TAX RELIEF—Continued

The Treasury Department has conducted a dynamic long-run analysis of these policies using a
model that takes into account this greater work effort, increase in savings and investment, and
improved allocation of resources on the size of the economy. While this model captures many aspects of economic circumstances and decision-making, others are not reflected in the model. For
example, the model assumes that resources are fully employed in the economy and that capital
is only somewhat mobile internationally. This analysis shows how large the long-run economic
effects of making the tax cuts permanent are likely to be. While difficult to estimate precisely,
the level of annual output (i.e., national income) may ultimately be higher by as much as 0.7
percent because of the combined effects of these policies.
The dynamic analysis also reveals that the long-run effects of these policies depend crucially on
how they are eventually financed. These policies will result in substantially more economic activity if they are financed by a future reduction in government spending than if they are financed by future tax increases. This supports the Administration’s emphasis on the permanence
of the tax relief, combined with spending restraint in its proposed budgets.
Treasury’s analysis also reveals that the tax relief components are likely to have very different
effects on future economic activity. For example, the lower tax rates on dividends and capital
gains, and the reduction in the top four tax rates, all have particularly beneficial effects in
strengthening the economy.

By keeping taxes low, the President has
allowed taxpayers to keep $1.1 trillion more
of their own money over the past six years,
rewarding the hard work and entrepreneurial
spirit of the Nation’s workers and their
families. The President’s enacted tax proposals
will allow 111 million taxpayers to save
an average of $1,900 in 2006. These provisions
will allow 44 million families with children
to save an average of $2,500 in 2006 and
14 million elderly persons to save an average
of $2,000. The President’s tax relief initiatives
also mean the total elimination of tax liabilities in 2006 for more than five million
low-income individuals and families.
Small businesses, the primary job creators
in the Nation’s economy, have benefited from
the extension of the President’s tax cuts,
with 25 million small businesses expected
to save an average of $3,600 in 2006. Capital
gains and dividend tax relief have effectively
reduced the tax rate on business investment
by more than 15 percent. Partly as a result,
business investment has been increasing for
twelve straight quarters, at an average rate
of nine percent per year.

The overall result of tax relief and other
pro-growth policies has been a strong economy
with low unemployment and high labor
productivity growth.
SPENDING RESTRAINT
The effectiveness of the President’s progrowth policies in strengthening the economy
has
generated
higher-than-expected
tax
receipts, which have helped reduce the deficit.
The second key element in reducing the
Government’s deficit is spending restraint.
The President and the Congress have
reduced the growth rate of non-security discretionary spending in every year of this Administration. Earlier this year, the President signed
into law legislation that was estimated to
generate nearly $40 billion in mandatory
savings over five years.
To further restrain the growth in Federal
spending, the President’s 2007 Budget proposed to hold the growth in total discretionary
spending below the rate of inflation and
to reduce non-security discretionary spending.
To achieve this, the 2007 Budget proposed

SUMMARY

major reductions in or the elimination of
141 programs, saving the taxpayers $15 billion. In addition to restraining discretionary
spending, the 2007 Budget proposed reforms
to entitlement and other mandatory programs
that would generate $59 billion in savings
over five years.
The Congress recently exercised spending
restraint by reducing the cost of the emergency
supplemental bill to meet the overall spending
limit the President proposed. The emergency
funding bill provides $94.5 billion to continue
fighting the Global War on Terror, promoting
democracy in Afghanistan and Iraq, protecting
the Nation’s homeland by securing the country’s borders, rebuilding communities devastated by the 2005 hurricane season, and
protecting Americans in the event of a possible
flu pandemic.
MID-SESSION UPDATE

Tax receipts increased $274 billion from
2004 to 2005, or nearly 15 percent, which
is the largest recorded increase in tax receipts
and the largest percentage increase in more
than two decades. In addition, tax receipts
for the first eight months of the current
fiscal year are up almost 13 percent compared
to the same period one year ago. Both
individual and corporate income tax receipts
are showing sizeable increases. As a result,
for the fiscal year as a whole, individual
tax collections are now expected to be approximately 15 percent higher in 2006 than last
year, corporate tax collections are expected
to be 19 percent higher and total receipts
are projected to be 11 percent higher.
As shown in Chart 3, as a percent of
GDP, tax receipts have averaged 18.2 percent
historically. For 2006, receipts are forecast
to rise to 18.3 percent of GDP, slightly
higher than the historical average.
Changes in Outlays

Change in Tax Receipts
At $2.400 trillion, receipts for 2006 are
$115 billion higher than projected, accounting
for 90 percent of the reduction in the 2006
deficit projected in February. Compared to
the Budget’s projection, receipts are estimated
to be higher throughout the projection period.

At $2.696 trillion, outlays for 2006 are
now estimated to be $12 billion lower than
the level estimated in February, accounting
for 10 percent of the reduction in the 2006
deficit. The lower estimate of 2006 outlays
results primarily from reductions in the projected growth rates for Medicare and Medicaid,

Chart 2. Strong Economy = Strong Receipts
Percent change in receipts

Projections

-----------------

10
5
0
-5
-10
1982

1986

1990

1994

Note: Shaded areas indicate recessions.

1998

2002

2006

2010

MID–SESSION REVIEW

Chart 3. Receipts as a Percent of GDP
Percent of GDP

22
21
20

MSR Forecast

19
18
17
16

40-Year Historical Receipts
Average 18.2%

15
14
1965

1970

1975

1980

1985

particularly estimates of the cost of Medicare’s
new prescription drug benefit program. The
competitive reforms adopted in these programs
have brought down outlays. However, in
the traditional Medicare fee-for-service programs, projections of increased spending outstrip these savings in the long-term and
as a result, total spending in the Medicare
and Medicaid programs continues to grow
at unsustainable rates. These spending trends
in Medicare Parts A and B highlight the
importance of adopting the Administration’s
proposed reforms to improve competition and
slow cost growth in these programs.
In 2007, to fund the anticipated additional
costs of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan,
this Mid-Session Review assumes an additional $60 billion in budget authority will
be needed later in the fiscal year, for a
total allowance of $110 billion. This update
also provides a $50 billion allowance for
a portion of additional costs anticipated in
2008 for the Global War on Terror. Neither
the additional funding in 2007 nor the allowance for 2008 reflects a detailed forecast
of funding needs; actual funding needs will
be determined by conditions at the time.

1990

1995

2000

2005

2010

Deficit
The improved budget outlook puts the
budget on a path to achieve the President’s
goal of cutting the deficit in half by 2009
one year early, in 2008. The estimated deficit
for 2006, $296 billion, is lower than the
deficits in 2003 through 2005. As a percent
of GDP, the 2006 deficit is expected to
be 2.3 percent, significantly lower than the
3.2 percent of GDP forecast in February.
The deficit-to-GDP ratio measures the size
of the deficit in relation to the economy
as a whole and permits meaningful comparisons of deficits over time. The 2.3 percent
deficit-to-GDP ratio would be the lowest ratio
since 2002 and in line with the 40-year
average of 2.3 percent.
As shown in Chart 1 at the beginning
of this section, following a slight increase
to 2.4 percent of GDP projected for next
year, the deficit-to-GDP ratio is projected
to fall through 2011. For 2009, the deficit
is projected to reach 1.0 percent of GDP,
or $157 billion, far surpassing the President’s
goal of cutting the deficit in half from
its estimated 2004 peak of 4.5 percent of
GDP, or $521 billion.

SUMMARY

While recent and current deficit levels
are too high, economists generally have not
viewed them as a risk to the economy,
a view supported by the markets in that
the deficits have not had an apparent adverse
effect on interest rates. Since 2001, interest
rates have been relatively low, and in line
with or below historical averages.
Just as the deficit-to-GDP ratio is falling
at a faster rate than projected in the February
Budget, the debt-to-GDP ratio is also falling
more quickly. In February, Federal debt held
by the public was projected to be 38.5
percent of GDP for 2006 and 39.2 percent
in 2007, and to begin declining in 2008.
At mid-session, debt held by the public is
projected to be 37.3 percent of GDP for
2006 and 37.8 in 2007 and, as in February,
to begin declining in 2008. By 2011, debt
held by the public is expected to be less
than its 40-year historical average of 35.4
percent of GDP.
FUTURE CHALLENGES
As the President noted in his 2007 Budget
released in February, in the long term the
biggest challenge to the Nation’s fiscal outlook
comes from the unsustainable growth in enti-

tlement spending. As currently structured,
entitlement spending in Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid is growing faster than
the economy and the Nation’s ability to
pay for this spending. No plausible amount
of cuts to discretionary programs or tax
increases can avert this major fiscal challenge.
Entitlement or mandatory spending plus net
interest expense currently comprise 62 percent
of the budget. Within the next thirty years,
entitlements and interest on the public debt
together will exceed all available tax revenue,
even without spending on education, defense,
and homeland security.
The reforms in Medicare proposed in the
President’s Budget will bring the program’s
financing needs more in line with available
resources in the near term, but both Medicare
and Medicaid need additional reforms to
ensure their long-term health. In addition,
the President has called for reforming Social
Security in a manner that preserves benefits
for those already in or near retirement and
puts the program’s finances on a sustainable
footing for future generations.

Chart 4. Declining Federal Debt
Debt held by the public as a percent of GDP
120
110
100
90
Social Security,
Medicare, and
Medicaid

80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
1940

1950

1960

1970

1980

1990

2000

2010

MID–SESSION REVIEW

Chart 5. 2006 Governmental Outlays
20%
Defense
Discretionary

39%
Social Security,
Medicare, and
Medicaid

Non-Defense
Discretionary

19%
Interest

CONCLUSION
With the help of the President’s successful
pro-growth economic policies, the 2006 deficit
is 30 percent lower than initially projected.
Through efforts to manage taxpayers’ money
responsibly and to reduce spending, as well
as to promote a strong economy, we are
on track to achieve the President’s goal
to cut the deficit in half a year ahead
of schedule, by 2008.
The President’s 2007 Budget focused resources on the Global War on Terror, securing

Other Mandatory

14%

the Nation’s homeland, and promoting democracy throughout the world, and meeting other
priorities such as improving education, promoting innovation, and making quality health
care more affordable. The Administration’s
proposals for fostering a strong economy,
funding the Nation’s priorities while restraining Government spending, and addressing
the long-term problem of unsustainable entitlement spending set the stage for an even
brighter future for all Americans.

SUMMARY

Table 1.

CHANGES FROM THE FEBRUARY BUDGET
(In billions of dollars)
2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2007–11

2007 February Budget deficit ..................
Percent of GDP .....................................

–423
–3.2%

–354
–2.6%

–223
–1.5%

–208
–1.4%

–183
–1.1%

–205
–1.2%

–1,173

Economic and technical reestimates:
Receipts ..............................................
Medicare ............................................
Medicaid .............................................
Other 1 ................................................

107
8
7
–1

60
5
6
–1

77
–2
6
12

62
–8
6
22

61
–10
6
26

60
–12
6
31

320
–27
30
89

Subtotal, economic and technical
reestimates ........................................

121

412

–2

–12

–*

–4

................

–25

–51

–24

–7

–2

–108

–17

–9

–4

–10

–37

–1

–4

–6

–7

–8

–25

Policy changes:
Enacted 2006 supplemental .............
Further war funding in 2007 and
2008 ................................................
Tax reconciliation bill (TIPRA) and
changes in revenue proposals .......
Other
legislation
and
policy
changes 2 .........................................
Subtotal, policy changes .......................

–54

–58

–31

–23

–7

–174

Total, changes ...........................................

127

239

Mid-Session Review deficit ......................
Percent of GDP .....................................

–296
–2.3%

–339
–2.4%

–188
–1.3%

–157
–1.0%

–123
–0.8%

–127
–0.7%

–934

* $500 million or less.
1 Includes debt service on all reestimates.
2 Includes debt service on all policy changes.

ECONOMIC ASSUMPTIONS
At mid-year 2006 the U.S. economy is
in its fifth year of expansion, maintaining
a solid pace of economic growth with low
rates of unemployment and underlying inflation, rising payroll jobs, high homeownership
rates, strong business investment, and high
productivity growth. The healthy performance
of the economy over the past year demonstrated again the robust nature of the
expansion in the face of shocks, including
higher energy prices and the substantial
damages and disruptions from the worst
hurricane season on record in the summer
and fall of 2005.1
The good performance of the economy in
recent years stands in marked contrast to
the economic slowdown and recession of
2000–2001 followed by slow recovery in
2002–2003. The strong economic performance
since mid-2003 is a testament to the resilience
of the U.S. economy and the adoption of
successful pro-growth policies, including tax
relief, Federal Reserve monetary policy actions, and ongoing efforts to promote investment in innovative technologies and liberalized
international trade.
The Administration and private forecasters
expect the expansion to continue for the
foreseeable future—with sustained non-inflationary real growth providing a firm foundation for the Federal budget outlook.
Recent Economic Performance
In the first quarter of 2006, real gross
domestic product (GDP) in the U.S. economy
grew at an annual rate of 5.6 percent.
It has been increasing for 18 consecutive
quarters, with the latest three years showing
an average annual growth rate of 4.0 percent.
The economy is in the midst of a selfreinforcing expansion with growth widespread
across various components and sectors. Increases in employment and high growth in
labor productivity have combined to generate
sustained solid growth in real output. In
1 Economic performance is discussed in terms of calendar years.
Budget figures are in terms of fiscal years.

labor markets, nonfarm payroll employment
has increased by 5.4 million jobs since the
post-recession low in August 2003, with nearly
1.9 million of those job gains occurring over
the past 12 months. Reflecting the improving
labor situation, the unemployment rate was
at 4.6 percent in June 2006, down from
a post-recession high of 6.3 percent in June
2003.
Other indicators illustrate the broad-based
nature of the expansion. Over the past four
quarters real consumer spending increased
3.3 percent. Although preliminary data indicate consumption growth slowed somewhat
during the second quarter of 2006—especially
for motor vehicle purchases—real consumption
spending is expected to grow at a moderateto-strong pace going forward. Manufacturing
activity and private investment spending have
been strong in recent years, rebounding from
the recession in 2001 and the initially slow
recovery in 2002. Industrial production in
manufacturing (through May) is up 4.9 percent
over the past 12 months, and has increased
at a 4.7 percent annual rate over the past
three years. Real business equipment and
software spending rose at a 15 percent annual
rate in the first quarter and at an 11
percent annual rate over the past three
years. Real exports of goods and services
have also contributed to growth, increasing
at a 7.7 percent annual rate over the past
three years, although not as fast as real
imports, which grew 8.1 percent. Over the
past two years the national homeownership
rate has continued to run near record levels
of about 69 percent. Higher prices for housing
and equities have boosted real household
wealth, which reached $53 trillion at the
end of the first quarter of 2006—nearly
six times the level of annual personal income—
up 6.9 percent over the prior four quarters
after adjusting for inflation.
Labor productivity gains—the increase in
output per hour of labor—have been remarkably strong in recent years, providing a
substantial boost to growth in real GDP.
For example, output per hour in the nonfarm
11

12
business sector rose by 2.5 percent during
2005, following an increase of 2.6 percent
during 2004 and an especially robust increase
of 5.0 percent during 2003. The recent productivity gains reinforce the stronger trend productivity performance of the past decade.
Since 1995, labor productivity in the nonfarm
business sector has increased at about a
2.9 percent annual rate—nearly double the
1.5 percent annual rate of gain that occurred
from 1973 to 1995. Improved productivity
growth reflects how well government policies,
the private sector, and our Nation as a
whole allocate resources—people, capital, and
natural resources—to their best uses. The
most basic sources of increased productivity
growth are technological innovation and increased capital available per worker. Lower
individual income tax rates and lower dividend
and capital gains tax rates have significantly
improved the investment and research and
development incentives of America’s businesses. Preserving the low tax environment
will help to promote continued productivity
gains. Stronger growth in labor productivity
is a fundamental building block for the
longer-term performance of the economy and
represents the essential basis for increasing
standards of living for American workers
and families.
Strong gains in labor productivity over
the past several years have helped to keep
the underlying rate of inflation low by historical standards. Other factors, however, also
affect the short-run behavior of prices. Primary
commodity prices have been on a strong
upward trend over the past five years, reflecting increased worldwide demand and some
depreciation of the U.S. dollar. Energy prices—
notably crude oil and natural gas prices—
have increased sharply. The rise in energy
and gasoline prices has contributed to the
increase in the ‘‘headline’’ rate of inflation:
the consumer price index (CPI) has increased
at a 5.2 percent annual rate so far in
2006. Abstracting from volatile food and energy items, ‘‘core’’ CPI inflation has increased
at a 3.1 percent annual rate so far this
year, somewhat higher than previously expected, increasing the uncertainty about the
inflation outlook. The Administration and
private forecasters in general expect the rate
of inflation to subside.

MID–SESSION REVIEW

While the U.S. economy is fundamentally
strong, a number of challenges remain.
• Recently, housing starts have settled back
to an annual pace of about 1.9 million
units—a relatively high pace by historical
standards but below the high levels of
2005. Most analysts anticipate that an orderly transition will occur to a more moderate pace of housing activity with stabilizing prices, and that household consumption spending and overall economic performance will not be adversely affected.
• The United States continues to run large
international trade and current account
deficits, and concerns persist about their
sustainability. These international deficits
are largely the result of the stronger pace
of growth in the U.S. economy over the
past decade than in the economies of our
foreign trading partners. The general expectation is that the U.S. trade position
will gradually improve, consistent with the
outlook for stronger growth in foreign
economies.
• The long-run Federal budget outlook presents challenges, as well. The strong U.S.
economy generated dramatic increases in
Federal receipts during 2005 and incoming
receipts data show large gains again in
the current fiscal year. The receipts gains
have helped reduce the Federal budget
deficit, even as special factors have added
to Federal spending, including rebuilding
and disaster relief efforts following the
worst hurricane season on record in 2005
and the Global War on Terror including
operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. To
deal with ongoing spending pressures and
the longer-term effects of demographic
changes and rising health care costs, fiscal
discipline will continue to be required both
within and beyond the five-year budget
window.
Although these factors present potential
risks, the current medium-term outlook continues to be one of continued expansion
in the U.S. economy.
Policy Background
The fiscal and monetary policies of the
past five years have successfully contributed

ECONOMIC ASSUMPTIONS

to the recent and current good economic
performance and to the expectation for continued expansion. Looking back, timely tax relief
and reductions in interest rates promoted
a rebound from the recession and initial
slow recovery in 2000–2003, helping to overcome the adverse effects from the various
shocks the economy faced. Looking forward,
the Administration’s proposed fiscal policies
contribute to the outlook for sustained expansion in the U.S. economy for the foreseeable
future.
Fiscal Policy: Over the past five years,
the Administration proposed, and Congress
enacted, significant tax relief designed to
overcome the economic shocks and recession—
promoting recovery in the growth of output,
income, and jobs—and to provide a strong
basis for continued economic expansion in
the long term. The Tax Increase Prevention
and Reconciliation Act of 2005 signed into
law by the President in May 2006 continued
those measures. It extended tax relief in
several areas, including: extension of lower
tax rates on capital gains and dividends
through 2010 and an extension of the increased expensing of equipment and software
investment for small businesses through 2009.
Preserving a relatively low tax environment
in the United States is an important part
of the Administration’s economic and budget
policies. The Administration’s budget proposals—including significant spending restraint combined with a low-tax environment—
will continue to promote solid performance
in the U.S. economy and to reduce the
Federal budget deficit in coming years as
a share of GDP. Publicly held debt is lower
than originally estimated and is projected
to begin declining in 2008, relative to the
size of the economy.
Monetary Policy and Interest Rates: As
the economy moved from recovery to sustained
expansion over the past 3 years, the Federal
Reserve increased the Federal funds rate
from 1.0 percent in June 2003—the lowest
level in 50 years—to 5.25 percent by the
end of June 2006. In its statement accompanying the June 2006 increase, the Federal
Reserve stated that ‘‘economic growth is moderating from its quite strong pace earlier
this year, partly reflecting a gradual cooling
of the housing market and the lagged effects

of increases in interest rates and energy
prices’’ but that ‘‘some inflation risks remain.’’
The Federal Reserve indicated in its statement
that future increases in interest rates will
depend on how the economic outlook evolves.
The Administration forecast for the 3-month
Treasury bill rate presented below is generally
consistent with market expectations.
Longer-term interest rates, notably the yield
on 10-year Treasury notes, remain low by
historical standards. Over the first half of
2006, the 10-year yield trended upward, rising
from just below 4.4 percent at the beginning
of the year to 5.15 percent at the end
of June. With the increases in the Federal
funds rate to 5.25 percent, the relatively
low 10-year Treasury yield at mid-year produced a flat structure of interest rates across
short- to long-term maturities.
Economic Projections
The Administration’s economic projections,
based on information available as of the
beginning of June 2006, are summarized
in Table 2. These assumptions are close
to those of the Blue Chip Consensus (an
average of about 50 private-sector forecasts),
as shown below in Table 3. The assumptions
call for a continuation of good economic
performance, including: sustained growth in
real GDP; a relatively low unemployment
rate with solid jobs growth; a return to
lower inflation; and, relatively low interest
rates by historical standards, although higher
than in 2002–2005.
Real GDP and Unemployment Rate: Real
GDP, which increased 3.5 percent in 2005
on a year-over-year basis, is projected to
rise 3.5 percent this year as well. During
the next few years, real GDP growth is
expected to moderate gradually, trending to
a 3.0 percent rate by 2011. The unemployment
rate is projected to change little, rising only
slightly from 4.7 percent in 2006 to about
4.9 percent for 2008 and beyond—remaining
roughly at the center of the range that
is thought to be consistent with stable inflation.
Inflation: Inflation increased over the past
year in large part because of surging energy
prices. Although energy prices remain high,
their rate of increase has slowed, and inflation

MID–SESSION REVIEW

Table 2.

ECONOMIC ASSUMPTIONS 1

(Calendar years; dollar amounts in billions)
2005
Actual
Gross Domestic Product (GDP):
Levels, dollar amounts in billions:
Current dollars ..............................................
Real, chained (2000) dollars .........................
Chained price index (2000 = 100), annual
average .......................................................
Percent change, fourth quarter over fourth
quarter:
Current dollars ..............................................
Real, chained (2000) dollars .........................
Chained price index (2000 = 100) ................
Percent change, year over year:
Current dollars ..............................................
Real, chained (2000) dollars .........................
Chained price index (2000 = 100) ................

Projections
2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

12,487
11,135

13,331
11,524

14,106
11,901

14,885
12,286

15,678
12,672

16,505
13,064

17,371
13,459

112.2

115.7

118.5

121.2

123.7

126.4

129.1

6.4
3.2
3.1

6.6
3.6
2.9

5.7
3.3
2.3

5.4
3.2
2.1

5.3
3.1
2.1

5.3
3.0
2.2

6.4
3.5
2.8

6.8
3.5
3.1

5.8
3.3
2.5

5.5
3.2
2.2

5.3
3.1
2.1

5.2
3.0
2.2

1,438
5,712
2,469

1,672
6,024
2,631

1,708
6,392
2,770

1,716
6,781
2,898

1,681
7,173
3,024

1,656
7,572
3,162

1,653
8,008
3,306

195.3

202.1

207.3

212.2

217.3

222.7

228.3

3.7
3.4

3.0
3.5

2.4
2.6

2.4
2.4

2.5
2.5

Unemployment rate, civilian, percent:
Fourth quarter level .....................................
Annual average .............................................

5.0
5.1

4.8
4.7

4.8
4.8

4.9
4.9

Federal pay raises, January, percent:
Military 4 ........................................................
Civilian 5 ........................................................

3.5
3.5

3.1
3.1

2.2
2.2

NA
NA

Interest rates, percent:
91–day Treasury bills 6 .................................
10–year Treasury notes ................................

3.2
4.3

4.7
5.0

4.6
5.2

4.4
5.4

4.4
5.5

4.3
5.5

Incomes, billions of current dollars:
Corporate profits before tax .........................
Wages and salaries .......................................
Other taxable income 2 .................................
Consumer Price Index (all urban): 3
Level (1982–84 = 100), annual average ......
Percent change, fourth quarter over fourth
quarter .......................................................
Percent change, year over year ...................

NA = Not Available
1 Based on information available as of early June 2006.
2 Rent, interest, dividend, and proprietors’ income components of personal income.
3 Seasonally adjusted CPI for all urban consumers.
4 Percentages apply to basic pay only; percentages to be proposed for years after 2007 have not yet been determined.
5 Overall average increase, including locality pay adjustments. Percentages to be proposed for years after 2007 have not
yet been determined.
6 Average rate, secondary market (bank discount basis).

is likely to be lower in the future. On
a year-over-year basis, the CPI is projected
to increase 3.5 percent this year with the
increase moderating to 2.6 percent in 2007
and to be in the 2.4 to 2.5 percent range
through 2011. Growth in the GDP price
index is projected to be 3.1 percent in 2006,
and then decline to 2.5 percent in 2007
and to be in the 2.1 percent to 2.2 percent
range for 2008–2011, slightly less than the
CPI, which is the usual pattern. The forecast
of low inflation reflects the current low
core inflation rate, modest inflationary expec-

tations, low pressure on wages and prices
due to both domestic and global competition,
and the Federal Reserve’s policy actions.
Interest Rates: The 3-month Treasury bill
rate is expected to average 4.7 percent in
2006, and then to decline—coinciding with
lower inflation—to 4.3 percent by 2010. The
yield on the 10-year Treasury note is expected
to average 5.0 percent in 2006 and to rise
gradually to 5.5 percent by 2009. The projected
low levels of inflation help to keep projected
interest rates relatively low as well; adjusted

ECONOMIC ASSUMPTIONS

based on different assumptions than those
of the Administration, including their appraisals of the most likely outcomes for fiscal
and monetary policies. The Administration
forecast generally assumes that the President’s
Budget proposals will be enacted. Despite
their differing policy assumptions, the Administration and Blue Chip economic projections
are very close.

for inflation, the projected real interest rates
are close to their historical averages.
Incomes and Income Shares: The income
levels shown in Table 2 reflect the behavior
of the specific types of income relative to
nominal GDP. The share of labor compensation
in GDP—wages and salaries and other compensation such as employer-provided insurance
and pension benefits—is projected to rise
while the share of corporate profits before
tax is projected to decline. During the projection period, labor compensation is expected
to increase, raising the labor share in GDP
to about its historical average. Reflecting
the relative gain in total labor compensation,
the wage share in GDP is expected to
rise.

The Administration economic forecast has
changed only slightly since the Budget was
published in February. Real GDP growth
is higher for 2006, now expected to be
3.5 percent compared to the 3.4 percent
shown in the Budget—the upward revision
resulting from the stronger-than-expected
growth in the first quarter of the year.
Reflecting the stronger growth, the unemployment rate is now expected to average 4.7
percent for 2006, compared to the Budget
estimate of 5.0 percent. Inflation and shortterm interest rates are expected to be somewhat higher for 2006 than estimated earlier.
Consumer price index (CPI) inflation is ex-

Comparison with the Budget Forecast and
Private-Sector Forecasts
Table 3 compares the Mid-Session Review
(MSR) economic assumptions with those from
the 2007 Budget and from the Blue Chip
Consensus. The private-sector forecasts are

Table 3.

COMPARISON OF ECONOMIC ASSUMPTIONS
(Calendar Years)
Projections
2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

Real GDP: 1
MSR ...........................................................................
2007 Budget ..............................................................
Blue Chip Consensus ...............................................

3.5
3.4
3.4

3.3
3.3
2.9

3.2
3.2
3.1

3.1
3.1
3.1

3.0
3.1
2.9

Consumer Price Index: 1
MSR ...........................................................................
2007 Budget ..............................................................
Blue Chip Consensus ...............................................

3.5
3.0
3.3

2.6
2.4
2.5

2.4
2.4
2.3

2.5
2.4
2.3

2.5
2.5
2.3

Unemployment Rate: 2
MSR ...........................................................................
2007 Budget ..............................................................
Blue Chip Consensus ...............................................

4.7
5.0
4.7

4.8
5.0
4.8

4.9
5.0
4.8

4.9
5.0
4.9

Interest Rates: 2
91–Day Treasury Bills:
MSR .......................................................................
2007 Budget ..........................................................
Blue Chip Consensus ............................................

4.7
4.2
4.8

4.6
4.2
4.9

4.4
4.3
4.7

4.3
4.3
4.7

4.3
4.3
4.5

10–Year Treasury Notes:
MSR .......................................................................
2007 Budget ..........................................................
Blue Chip Consensus ............................................

5.0
5.0
5.0

5.2
5.4
5.2

5.4
5.5
5.4

5.5
5.6
5.5

5.5
5.6
5.4

MSR = Mid-Session Review
Source: Chapter 12, ‘‘Economic Assumptions’’ of Analytical Perspectives, 2007 Budget; June 2006 Blue Chip Economic
Indicators, Aspen Publishers, Inc. for 2006 and 2007; March 2006 Blue Chip Economic Indicators for 2008–2011.
1 Year-over-year percent change.
2 Annual averages, percent.

16
pected to be 3.5 percent in 2006, compared
to the 3.0 percent estimate in the Budget,
and the 3-month Treasury bill rate is expected
to average 4.7 percent for this year, compared
to the Budget’s 4.2 percent estimate. Beyond
2006, the Administration forecast remains
very similar to that published in February.
Real GDP growth trends down from 3.3
percent in 2007 to 3.1 percent in 2010—
with only a slight downward revision to
the forecast in 2011 from 3.1 percent to
3.0 percent. The unemployment rate rises
slightly from the lower level in 2006 and
settles at 4.9 percent for 2008–2011, a slight
reduction from the 5.0 percent rate shown
in the Budget. CPI inflation is revised up
slightly in 2007 to 2.6 percent from 2.4
percent, but remains the same as in the
Budget thereafter, settling at 2.5 percent
for 2010 and 2011. The 3-month Treasury
bill rate—after rising slightly because of the
temporary increase in inflation—returns to
the 4.3 percent level shown in the Budget
by 2010 and 2011. The 10-year Treasury

MID–SESSION REVIEW

note yield is now expected to settle at
5.5 percent in 2009–2011 compared to the
5.6 percent shown in February. Table 3
also shows that the Administration forecast
is generally similar to that for the private
Blue Chip Consensus.
SUMMARY
The economic news since the Budget was
issued has been mostly favorable. Economic
growth has continued at a strong pace, with
solid gains in payroll jobs, lower unemployment, and robust increases in manufacturing
production and real business investment. Even
though inflation has been temporarily boosted
by higher energy prices, the long-run inflation
outlook is still favorable. The Mid-Session
Review economic forecast projects continued
economic growth, low and stable inflation,
moderate interest rates, and healthy job creation and wage growth—in short, a favorable
economic outlook to serve as a basis for
Federal budget projections.

RECEIPTS
The current estimates of receipts for 2006
and 2007 exceed the February Budget estimates by $115 billion and $43 billion, respectively. The current estimates for 2008 through
2011 also exceed the February Budget estimates, resulting in receipts that are higher
by $284 billion over the five years, 2007
through 2011. These changes are the net
effect of revised economic assumptions, technical reestimates, enacted legislation, and
revisions in the Administration’s proposals.
Revised economic assumptions and technical
reestimates account for most of the revisions
in receipts since February, increasing receipts
by $107 billion in 2006, $60 billion in 2007,
and $320 billion over the five-year period,
2007 through 2011. Higher-than-expected collections of individual and corporation income

Table 4.

taxes account for most of the increase in
receipts for 2006. These increases are in
large part attributable to higher-than-expected
individual and corporation income tax liability
in tax years 2005 and 2006, as reflected
in collection experience since February, and
technical reassessment of the division of total
withheld taxes between individual income
tax liability and payroll tax liability. The
revisions in subsequent years primarily reflect
increases in individual and corporation income
taxes, attributable in large part to upward
revisions in income and taxable profits (in
part due to reduced depreciation write-offs),
and revisions in estimating models to reflect
current collection experience. The revisions
also reflect the effect of recent court decisions
effectively invalidating part of the Federal
telephone tax.

CHANGE IN RECEIPTS
(In billions of dollars)
2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2007–2011

February estimate ..............................................

2,285.5

2,415.9

2,590.3

2,714.2

2,878.2

3,034.9

Changes due to:
Economic assumptions and technical reestimates:
Individual income taxes ..............................
Corporation income taxes ...........................
Social security and Medicare payroll taxes
Telephone tax rulings .................................
Other sources of receipts ............................

59.6
53.0
–6.1
–1.4
1.6

23.8
68.0
–18.2
–15.2
1.3

45.0
50.1
–8.7
–8.0
–1.4

35.7
40.8
–8.4
–5.9
–0.4

38.9
37.8
–7.0
–6.0
–2.3

39.9
33.8
–4.4
–6.1
–3.0

183.3
230.5
–46.7
–41.2
–5.8

Subtotal, economic assumptions and
technical reestimates ...........................

106.6

59.6

77.0

61.8

61.4

60.3

320.1

Enacted legislation (TIPRA) ..........................

–5.3

–33.8

–8.5

–34.5

3.6

15.7

–57.4

Revisions in proposals:
Portion of proposals enacted or partly enacted in TIPRA 1 ......................................
Other revisions ............................................

13.7
*

20.5
–3.4

6.9
–7.1

34.7
–4.2

–3.2
–10.2

–13.9
0.7

45.0
–24.1

Total revisions .........................................

13.7

17.1

–0.2

30.5

–13.3

–13.2

20.9

Total change .........................................

115.0

43.0

68.3

57.8

51.7

62.8

283.6

Mid-Session estimate .........................................

2,400.5

2,458.8

2,658.6

2,772.0

2,929.8

3,097.7

* $50 million or less.
1 Extension of tax relief for alternative minimum tax, capital gains and dividend tax rates, increased expensing for small
business, and modified amortization for certain geological and geophysical expenditures.
17

18
Legislated tax changes since February
decrease receipts in 2006 through 2009, then
increase them in both 2010 and 2011. These
changes are almost entirely the result of
the enactment of the Tax Increase Prevention
and Reconciliation Act of 2005 (TIPRA) which
the President signed on May 17, 2006. The
February budget included proposals similar
to the major provisions of TIPRA—an in-

MID–SESSION REVIEW

creased alternative minimum tax exemption
for tax year 2006, extension of current tax
rates on dividends and capital gains, and
extension of expiring small business expensing
provisions. Therefore the enactment of TIPRA
results in roughly offsetting changes to the
February proposals, reflected in the line in
Table 4 for the portion of proposals enacted
or partly enacted in TIPRA.

SPENDING
Total outlays for 2006 are now estimated
to be $2,696 billion, down $12 billion from
the February estimate. A small increase due
to policy changes is more than offset by
reductions due to estimating changes. For
2007, the estimate of total outlays has increased by $28 billion relative to February,
to $2,798 billion. This increase is largely
the result of additional funding for the Global
War on Terror.

billion in 2006 and $3.2 billion in 2007
relative to the February budget as a result
of estimating changes. The 2006 change is
the net effect of faster spending for relief
related to the 2005 hurricanes offset in
part by delay in spending for Iraqi relief
and reconstruction and other programs. The
2007 increase offsets the delays in 2006.
The offsetting reduction in disaster relief
occurs in 2008 through 2011.

Policy changes

Medicaid.—As a result of estimating
changes, Medicaid outlays are projected to
decrease by $7.4 billion in 2006, $6.0 billion
in 2007, and $29.7 billion over the period
2007 through 2011. The largest factor in
the decrease is a reduction in estimates
for medical assistance payments, driven by
lower estimates provided by the States this
Spring.

In total, policy changes increase outlays
by $2.2 billion in 2006 and $37.3 billion
in 2007. Over the five-year period 2007
through 2011, policy changes increase outlays
by $137.1 billion. Since the transmittal of
the Budget, the Congress has enacted the
Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act
for Defense, the Global War on Terror, and
Hurricane Recovery. Although the total supplemental funding was only slightly higher than
the placeholder in the Budget, the timing
of outlays differs from what was assumed,
adding $11.5 billion to outlays in 2007 and
reducing them in future years. The MidSession Review has also added a placeholder
for additional funding for the Global War
on Terror to fully fund currently anticipated
needs for 2007 and provide a bridge for
2008 funding. Outlays from this funding
will occur over several years, raising 2007
outlays by $25.2 billion and 2008 outlays
by $50.6 billion.
Estimating changes
Changes in estimates arise from non-policy
related factors including changes in economic
assumptions, discussed earlier in this Review,
and changes in technical factors. For 2006
and 2007, estimated outlays are $14.6 billion
and $9.4 billion lower, respectively, than
in February for non-policy related reasons.
Over the period 2007 through 2011, outlays
are $92.4 billion lower than in February
for non-policy related reasons.
Discretionary appropriations.—Outlays for
discretionary appropriations increase by $1.9

Medicare.—Estimates of Medicare outlays
are $7.8 billion and $4.7 billion lower for
2006 and 2007, respectively, than estimated
in February. However, over the period 2007
through 2011, outlays are above the February
projections by $26.8 billion. The reductions
in 2006 and 2007 are driven by lower estimates for the prescription drug benefit, reflecting updated assumptions about participation
and other actual program data. Increases
in later years stem from revisions to economic
assumptions and increased utilization rates
for some Medicare providers.
Unemployment
insurance.—Continuing
strength in the labor market has led to
a decline in both the projected total and
insured unemployment rates resulting in outlays for unemployment compensation $17.8
billion below the February projections over
the 5-year period 2007 though 2011.
Earned income and child tax credits.—
During the 2006 filing season, claims for
the earned income and child tax credits
were higher than previously anticipated. As
a result, the Mid-Session Review has $14.0
billion higher outlays for these refundable
tax credits over 5 years than estimated
in February.
19

MID–SESSION REVIEW

Social security.—Estimating changes reduce
outlays for Social Security by $8.5 billion
over the 5-year period. Increases in the
forecasted cost-of-living adjustments are more
than offset by technical revisions including
lower projections of beneficiaries contained
in the most recent Social Security Trustees
Report.

payments to farmers for price and income
support programs decline.
Student loans.—Outlays for student loan
programs are projected to increase by $10.5
billion over the period 2006 to 2011. This
increase is largely the result of improvements
in estimating models, including better estimation of collections on defaulted loans and
improved estimates of the eligible portfolio
of tax-exempt special allowance payments.
In addition, $2.4 billion of this increase
is the result of improvements in the methodology for projecting interest rates. The student
loan programs include statutorily required
special allowance payments and interest rate
caps; as a result, the cost estimates are
highly sensitive to interest rate projections.
Previously, projections used a single borrower
interest rate scenario to estimate these programs’ subsidy costs. The 2007 President’s
Budget noted that the Administration would
explore changes to this method to better
capture the effects of interest rate volatility.
Beginning with this Mid-Session Review and
going forward, cost estimates will incorporate
alternative interest rate scenarios.

Outer continental shelf receipts.—Increases
in projected oil and gas prices increase anticipated receipts from the outer continental
shelf. Because these receipts are recorded
as offsets to outlays, the increases reduce
expected outlays by $7.1 billion over the
five-year period. The reduction in anticipated
receipts in 2006 reflects a slower rampup in production than projected in February,
largely due to continuing impacts from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Commodity credit corporation (CCC) farm
price supports.—As a result of estimating
assumptions, outlays for CCC farm price
supports have decreased by $4.2 billion in
2007. This change was driven by revised
crop forecasts, which raised price projections
for a few crops. When crop prices increase,

Table 5.

CHANGE IN OUTLAYS
(In billions of dollars)

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

February estimate ....................................

2,708.7

2,770.1

2,813.6

2,921.8

3,060.9

3,239.8

Changes due to policy:
Supplemental .....................................
Global War on Terror .......................
Other programmatic .........................
Related debt service ..........................

1.5
................
0.7
–0.1

11.5
25.2
0.4
1.0

–4.8
50.6
*
3.6

–2.4
24.1
0.2
5.6

–0.4
6.7
0.2
6.8

0.2
1.7
0.2
7.5

4.1
108.2
0.3
24.6

2.2

37.3

49.4

27.5

13.4

9.5

137.1

1.9
–7.4
–7.8
–4.1
2.5
–1.0
0.9
–0.7
4.8
–2.8
–0.8

3.2
–6.0
–4.7
–3.8
3.1
–0.7
–0.3
–4.2
1.6
2.9
–0.5

–0.7
–6.0
1.6
–3.5
2.6
–1.2
–1.6
–2.0
1.1
1.6
–8.0

–3.1
–5.9
7.7
–3.6
2.9
–1.9
–1.6
–0.4
1.0
*
–15.6

–1.6
–5.9
10.4
–3.5
2.9
–2.3
–2.0
–0.1
1.0
1.2
–21.2

–1.5
–6.0
11.7
–3.5
2.7
–2.4
–1.7
–*
1.0
2.0
–27.4

–3.7
–29.7
26.8
–17.8
14.0
–8.5
–7.1
–6.7
5.7
7.7
–72.8

Subtotal, policy .....................................
Changes due to reestimates:
Discretionary appropriations ............
Medicaid .............................................
Medicare ............................................
UI .......................................................
EITC and child credit .......................
Social security ...................................
OCS receipts ......................................
CCC ....................................................
Student loans .....................................
Other programs .................................
Net interest ........................................

2007–11

Subtotal, reestimates ............................

–14.6

–9.4

–16.2

–20.5

–21.3

–25.1

–92.4

Total, changes ...........................................

–12.4

27.9

33.3

7.0

–7.9

–15.5

44.7

Mid-Session estimate ...............................

2,696.3

2,798.0

2,846.9

2,928.8

3,052.9

3,224.2

* $50 million or less.

SPENDING

Net interest.—Excluding the debt service
associated with policy changes, outlays for
net interest have decreased by $72.8 billion
over five years. This reduction is nearly

21
all the result of lower debt service costs
related to estimating changes in receipts
and outlays.

SUMMARY TABLES

Table S–1.

BUDGET TOTALS

(Dollar amounts in billions)
2005
Budget Totals:
Receipts .................................................
Outlays ..................................................

2,154
2,472

2006

2,400
2,696

2007

2,459
2,798

2008

2,659
2,847

2009

2,772
2,929

2010

2,930
3,053

2011

3,098
3,224

Deficit ...............................................

–318

–296

–339

–188

–157

–123

–127

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ...............

12,294

13,119

13,910

14,691

15,477

16,295

17,150

Budget Totals as a Percent of GDP:
Receipts .................................................
Outlays ..................................................

17.5%
20.1%

18.3%
20.6%

17.7%
20.1%

18.1%
19.4%

17.9%
18.9%

18.0%
18.7%

18.1%
18.8%

Deficit ...............................................

–2.6%

–2.3%

–2.4%

–1.3%

–1.0%

–0.8%

–0.7%

MID–SESSION REVIEW

Table S–2.

DISCRETIONARY TOTALS

(Net budget authority; dollar amounts in billions)
2006
Enacted

2007
Request

2008
Estimate

Change: 2006–2007
Dollar

Percent

Discretionary budget authority:
Department of Defense ................................................................
Homeland Security (non-Department of Defense) .....................
Other Operations of Government ................................................

410.8
32.1
400.1

439.3
33.1
398.6

462.4
34.7
398.4

28.5
1.1
–1.6

6.9%
3.3%
–0.4%

871.0

895.5

28.0

3.3%

110

Total, Discretionary budget authority ....................................

843.0

Enacted supplemental and emergency funding:
Global War on Terror ...................................................................
Hurricane Response .....................................................................
Pandemic Flu Preparedness ........................................................
Border Security and Other ..........................................................

120.4
24.7
6.1
2.0

Total, Enacted supplemental and emergency funding .......

153.1

Estimated Emergency Requests:
Global War on Terror ...................................................................

SUMMARY TABLES

Table S–3.

GROWTH IN DISCRETIONARY BUDGET AUTHORITY BY MAJOR
AGENCY
(Net budget authority; dollar amounts in billions)
Growth:

Agency

2001
Actual

2006
Enacted

2007
Request

2006–2007
Dollar

2001–2007 Percent

Percent

Average

Cumulative

Agriculture .........................................
Commerce ..........................................
Defense—Military .............................
Education ...........................................
Energy ................................................
Health and Human Services ............
Homeland Security ............................
Housing and Urban Development ...
Interior ...............................................
Justice ................................................
Labor ..................................................
State and Other International
Programs ........................................
Transportation ...................................
Treasury .............................................
Veterans Affairs ................................
Corps of Engineers ............................
Environmental Protection Agency ...
Executive Office of the President .....
Judicial Branch .................................
Legislative Branch ............................
National Aeronautics and Space
Administration ...............................
National Science Foundation ...........
Social Security Administration ........
Other Agencies ..................................

19.2
5.1
302.5
40.1
20.0
54.0
14.0
28.4
10.3
18.4
11.9

21.1
6.4
410.8
56.5
23.5
69.2
30.5
34.1
10.8
21.0
11.3

19.7
6.1
439.3
54.4
23.6
67.6
30.9
33.6
10.5
19.5
10.9

–1.4
–0.2
28.5
–2.1
0.0
–1.6
0.4
–0.4
–0.3
–1.5
–0.4

–6.5%
–3.7%
6.9%
–3.8%
0.1%
–2.3%
1.3%
–1.2%
–3.0%
–7.2%
–3.9%

0.4%
3.1%
6.4%
5.2%
2.7%
3.8%
14.1%
2.9%
0.3%
1.0%
–1.5%

2.5%
20.4%
45.2%
35.7%
17.6%
25.2%
121.0%
18.7%
1.8%
6.0%
–8.7%

21.7
14.6
10.3
22.4
4.7
7.8
0.3
4.0
2.8

30.2
14.6
11.4
33.1
5.3
7.6
0.3
5.3
3.8

33.9
13.2
11.6
35.7
4.7
7.3
0.3
5.9
4.3

3.7
–1.4
0.2
2.6
–0.6
–0.3
–0.0
0.5
0.5

12.2%
–9.4%
1.4%
8.0%
–11.2%
–4.0%
–0.6%
9.9%
12.3%

7.7%
–1.6%
1.9%
8.1%
0.2%
–1.1%
4.0%
6.7%
7.6%

55.8%
–9.3%
12.3%
59.5%
1.0%
–6.6%
26.4%
47.9%
55.4%

14.3
4.4
6.0
6.7

16.3
5.6
7.3
6.9

16.8
6.0
7.9
7.3

0.5
0.4
0.5
0.4

3.2%
7.9%
6.8%
5.8%

2.8%
5.2%
4.5%
1.5%

17.8%
35.9%
30.2%
9.1%

Total, Discretionary Spending .......

643.8

843.0

871.0

28.0

3.3%

5.2%

35.3%

Note: Supplementals and emergencies, enacted and estimated, are excluded.

MID–SESSION REVIEW

Table S–4.

HOMELAND SECURITY FUNDING BY AGENCY
(Budget authority in millions of dollars)
2006
Enacted

Homeland Security Funding:
Agriculture ......................................................................................................................
Commerce .......................................................................................................................
Defense—Military (DOD) 1 ............................................................................................
Energy .............................................................................................................................
Health and Human Services .........................................................................................
Homeland Security ........................................................................................................
Interior ............................................................................................................................
Justice .............................................................................................................................
State ................................................................................................................................
Transportation ................................................................................................................
Treasury ..........................................................................................................................
Veterans Affairs .............................................................................................................
Corps of Engineers .........................................................................................................
Environmental Protection Agency ................................................................................
General Services Administration ..................................................................................
National Aeronautics and Space Administration ........................................................
National Science Foundation ........................................................................................
Smithsonian Institution ................................................................................................
Social Security Administration .....................................................................................
Other Agencies ...............................................................................................................

2007
Supplemental

Request

564
181
16,441
1,704
4,300
25,256
56
2,964
1,107
182
117
310
72
129
99
213
344
83
177
304

..................
..................
708
..................
..................
1,500
..................
34
..................
..................
..................
..................
..................
..................
..................
..................
..................
..................
..................
..................

650
218
16,699
1,700
4,565
27,526
55
3,279
1,213
206
134
314
43
183
96
203
387
80
184
297

Total, Homeland Security Funding 2 .........................................................................

54,603

2,242

58,032

Less, Defense—Military (DOD) ....................................................................................
Less, Mandatory Homeland Security Funding 3 ..........................................................
Less, Discretionary Fee-Funded Activities 4 ................................................................

–16,441
–2,235
–3,877

–708
..................
..................

–16,699
–2,455
–5,769

Net Non-DOD Discretionary Homeland Security 2 ................................................

32,050

1,534

33,109

1 Reported DOD homeland security funding has been revised upward in all years to reflect better estimating methodologies for DOD homeland security programs. See the Homeland Security Funding Analysis chapter of the Analytical
Perspectives volume of the 2007 Budget for more details.
2 Amounts in this table are rounded to the nearest million dollars at the account level, which accounts for any discrepancies with the Homeland Security Funding Analysis chapter in the Analytical Perspectives volume.
3 Mandatory homeland security programs include Agriculture Quarantine and Inspections, Border Protection, and Immigration Enforcement.
4 Discretionary fee-funded homeland security programs include Visa Processing, Airport Security, and Social Security
physical and computer security measures.

SUMMARY TABLES

Table S–5.

MANDATORY PROPOSALS
(In millions of dollars)
Total

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

Total

2011
2007–2011 2007–2016

Reforms Resulting in Savings:
Agriculture:
Commodity Program changes ............... ............ –1,081
Restrict Food Stamp categorical eligibility .................................................... ............
–76
Allow State Food Stamp agencies to
access the National Directory of
New Hires (NDNH) ............................ ............ ..............
Subtotal, Agriculture ......................
Defense:
Increase National Defense Stockpile
Sales ....................................................
Energy:
Repeal Oil and Gas Research and Development Program ............................
Health and Human Services:
Medicare .................................................
Medicaid/State Children’s Health Insurance Program ................................
Child Support Enforcement ..................
Child Welfare Program option ..............
Subtotal, Health and Human Services ...................................................
Interior:
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge lease
bonuses:
State of Alaska’s share:
Receipts ...........................................
Expenditures ...................................
Federal share:
Receipts ...........................................
Amend Bureau of Land Management
(BLM) Land Sale Authority ..............
Eliminate BLM Range Improvement
Fund ....................................................
Recover Pick-Sloan Project Cost ...........
Repeal Energy Bill Fee Prohibition .....
Subtotal, Interior ...............................
Labor:
Reform Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation ...............................................
Unemployment Insurance Integrity
Legislation:
Benefit Payment Recoveries ..............
Reform Federal Employee’s Compensation Act ...............................................
Subtotal, Labor ...................................
Treasury:
Eliminate 10–year Statute-of-Limitations on Non-Tax Debt ......................
Federal Communications Commission
(FCC):
Extend Spectrum Auction Authority ...
Terminate the Telecommunications
Development Fund .............................

–1,079

–945

–965

–917

–4,988

–8,933

–151

–154

–157

–161

–699

–1,572

–1

–4

–9

............

–1,157

–1,231

–1,100

–1,123

–1,079

–5,691

–10,514

............

–1

–50

–72

–80

–96

–299

–347

............

–20

–40

–50

–210

–460

............

–2,182

–5,082

–7,520

–8,848

–10,105

–33,737

–101,492

............
............
............

–723
–2
22

–876
–1
5

–1,062
–3
55

–1,116
–5
–27

–1,168
–6
–61

–4,945
–17
–6

–11,859
–60
–1

............

–2,885

–5,954

–8,530

–9,996

–11,340

–38,705

–113,412

............ ..............
............ ..............

–3,502
3,502

–2
2

–503
503

–3
3

–4,010
4,010

–4,025
4,025

............ ..............

–3,502

–2

–503

–3

–4,010

–4,025

............

–1

–28

–40

–42

–71

–182

–351

............
............
............

–7
–23
–5

–10
–23
–27

–10
–23
–24

–47
–115
–110

–97
–230
–209

............

–36

–3,590

–102

–605

–131

–4,464

–4,912

............ ..............

–3,069

–3,052

–3,034

–3,011

–12,166

–26,806

............ ..............

–477

–513

–363

–376

–1,729

–3,749

............

–3

–8

–10

–11

–13

–45

–140

............

–3

–3,554

–3,575

–3,408

–3,400

–13,940

–30,695

............

–11

–6

–35

–65

............ .............. .............. ................ ................ ................ ..................

–1,000

............

–5

–6

–7

–30

–65

Subtotal, FCC ..................................... ............

–5

–6

–7

–30

–1,065

MID–SESSION REVIEW

Table S–5.

MANDATORY PROPOSALS—Continued
(In millions of dollars)
Total
2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

Total

2011
2007–2011 2007–2016

Office of Personnel Management:
Amend Federal Employee Health Benefits Program Statute ........................ ............
Total, Reforms Resulting in Savings
User Fee Proposals:
Agriculture:
Food Safety and Inspection Service
User Fees * .........................................
Grain Inspection User Fees * ................
Animal and Plant Health Inspection
User Fees * .........................................
Agricultural Marketing Service User
Fees * ...................................................
Federal Crop Insurance User Fees * ....
Health and Human Services:
FDA User Fee Proposal * ......................
Homeland Security:
Extend Customs User Fees ...................
Treasury:
Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade
Bureau User Fees * ............................
Environmental Protection Agency:
Pesticide Fees * ......................................
Pre-Manufacturing Notification Fee * ..
FCC:
Authorize Spectrum License Fees ........

............

–34

–134

–231

–306

–367

–1,072

–3,431

–4,152 –14,564

–13,672

–15,581

–16,476

–64,446

–164,901

............
............

–105
–20

–155
–20

–148
–21

–151
–21

–154
–22

–713
–104

–1,535
–220

............

–8

–11

–12

–54

–117

............
–2
............ ..............

–2
–15

–10
–60

–20
–135

............

–27

–28

–136

–286

............ .............. .............. ................ ................ ................ ..................

–5,830

–26

............

–29

–145

–290

............
............

–56
–4

–66
–8

–53
–8

–281
–36

–546
–76

............

–50

–150

–300

–400

–1,200

–3,625

Total, User Fee Proposals ................. ............

–300

–483

–614

–619

–723

–2,739

–12,680

–4,452 –15,047

–14,286

–16,200

–17,199

–67,185

–177,581

144

147

151

583

1,405

............ .............. .............. ................ ................ ................ ..................

200

Subtotal, Reforms Resulting in Savings and User Fee Proposals ........... ............
Program Augmentations:
Agriculture:
Exclude retirement savings in Food
Stamp Program ..................................
Energy:
Bonneville Power Administration borrowing authority ................................
Health and Human Services:
Medicaid/State Children’s Health Insurance Program ................................
Cover the Kids outreach grants ...........
Grants to states for chronically ill .......
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families .......................................................
Foster Care District of Columbia Federal Medical Assistance Percentage
(FMAP) Rate .......................................
Treasury:
Extend the Rum Carryover for Puerto
Rico ......................................................
Office of Personnel Management:
Make Changes to Federal Retirement
Improvement Act ...............................
Social Security Administration:
Extend Supplemental Security Income
eligibility for refugees ........................
Total, Program Augmentations .....

............

............
............
............

1,227
100
250

686
100
375

539
100
493

425
100
506

601
100
523

3,478
500
2,146

6,773
1,000
5,000

............

149

425

473

488

1,575

4,070

............

24 ................ ................ ................

119

74 ................ ................

219

8,673

18,936

............ ..............

............

1,834

1,512

1,786

1,664

1,878

SUMMARY TABLES

Table S–5.

MANDATORY PROPOSALS—Continued
(In millions of dollars)
Total
2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

Total

2011
2007–2011 2007–2016

User Fee Proposals with Mandatory
Spending:
Marketing Agreements and Orders User
Fees:
Receipts .................................................. ............
Spending ................................................. ............
Net effect ............................................
Increase Indian Gaming Commission
Fees 1 ......................................................
Foreign Labor Certification User Fees:
Receipts ..................................................
Spending .................................................

–12
12

–13
13

–63
63

–132
132

............ .............. .............. ................ ................ ................ .................. ..................
............ ..............
............
............

–35
35

–175
175

–350
350

Net effect ............................................ ............ .............. .............. ................ ................ ................ .................. ..................
Immigration Examination Fees:
Receipts .................................................. ............
–31
–31
–31
–31
–31
–155
–310
Spending ................................................. ............
25
31
31
31
31
149
304
Net effect ............................................ ............
–6 .............. ................ ................ ................
Army Corps of Engineers: Additional
Recreation User Fees and Contributions:
Receipts .................................................. ............
–9
–17
–17
–17
–17
Spending ................................................. ............ ..............
8
16
17
17

–6

–77
58

–162
143

–19

Net effect ............................................ ............

–9

Total, User Fee Proposals with
Mandatory Spending .................. ............

–15

–5

–6

–2,633 –13,540

–12,497

–14,531

–15,316

–58,517

–158,626

333 .............. ................ ................ ................

333

Subtotal, Including Program Augmentations and User Fee Proposals with Mandatory Spending ..

Further Hurricane Response:
National Flood Insurance (emergency) ....

2,992

–1 ................ ................

–6

Social Security Personal Accounts
(off-budget) .............................................. ............ .............. .............. ................

24,364

57,956

82,320

721,414

Proposals: 1

Outlay Effects of Tax
Health Tax Credit ..................................... ............
723
Child Tax Credit ....................................... ............ ..............
Earned Income Tax Credit ....................... ............
–209
Total, Outlay Effects of Tax Proposals

1,257
–383
8

1,684
–368
–64

1,883
–422
–75

2,024
–427
–67

7,571
–1,600
–407

19,858
–3,897
–907

............

514

882

1,252

1,386

1,530

5,564

15,054

Other Mandatory Proposals:
Use Escrow Account for USPS Retiree
Health Benefits:
Postal Retiree Health Benefits Account –2,933
Postal Escrow Account ..........................
2,933

–3,202
3,202

–3,528
3,528

–3,739
3,739

–4,064
4,064

–4,426
4,426

–18,959
18,959

–45,556
45,556

Unified budget effect ......................... ............ .............. .............. ................ ................ ................ .................. ..................
Refinance Black Lung Disability Trust
Fund debt:
Black Lung Disability Trust Fund ....... ............
2,297
–431
–425
–425
–432
584
–2,751
Interest
receipts
on
repayable
advances ............................................. ............ –2,297
431
425
425
432
–584
2,751
Net effect ............................................ ............ .............. .............. ................ ................ ................ .................. ..................
County Payments Safety Net:
County Payments .................................. ............
78
303
179
120
97
777
777
National Forest Land Sales .................. ............
–78
–303
–179
–120
–97
–777
–777
Net effect ............................................ ............ .............. .............. ................ ................ ................ .................. ..................

MID–SESSION REVIEW

Table S–5.

MANDATORY PROPOSALS—Continued
(In millions of dollars)
Total
2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

Total

2011
2007–2011 2007–2016

Full-time Attendance Required for
Child’s Social Security Benefits at Age
16 (off-budget) ........................................
Enforcement of Windfall Elimination
Provision/Government Pension Offset
(off-budget) .............................................
Replace Disability Insurance/Worker’s
Comp Offset with Uniform Offset (offbudget) ....................................................
Correct trust accounting deficiencies in
individual Indian money investments
(non-paygo) .............................................
Indirect Effects (Third Scorecard):
Amend Federal Employee Health Benefits Program Statute ........................
Unemployment Insurance Integrity
Legislation ..........................................
Refine Department of Defense Medicare-Eligible Retiree Health Care
Accrual Calculation ............................
Food Stamp Impact of Commodity
Supplemental Food Program Elimination ..................................................
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Impact of Social Services Block
Grant Reduction and Other ..............

............

–150

–155

–159

–559

–1,461

............ .............. .............. ................

–133

–294

–427

–2,431

–63

–72

–228

–402

............

–11

–8

–84

–35

–50

6 .............. .............. ................ ................ ................ .................. ..................
............

139

182

220

655

2,035

............ ..............

–59

–124

–130

–138

–451

–1,218

............

411

967

............

256

439

............

108

–103

–16

Subtotal, Indirect Effects ............... ............

258

185

171

220

881

2,243

239

–153

–180

–305

–333

–2,051

–1,547 –12,591

–11,396

11,040

43,866

29,373

576,133

–523
–11

–691
–11

–567
–11

–1,467
–120

–5,086
–176

Total,
Other
Mandatory
Proposals ..................................

Grand Total .................................................

3,067

Memorandum: Savings Net of Program
Augmentations:
Medicaid/State Children’s Health Insurance Program ......................................... ............
Food Stamp Program ................................ ............

504
–29

–190
–58

* Once the fees are enacted, the Administration will work to reclassify them to offset discretionary spending beginning
in 2008.
1 Affects both receipts and outlays. Only the outlay effect is shown here. Excludes tax extenders assumed in baseline.

SUMMARY TABLES

Table S–6.

RECEIPTS PROPOSALS
(In millions of dollars)
Total

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011
2007–2011 2007–2016

Make Permanent Certain Tax Cuts Enacted in 2001 and 2003 (assumed in the
baseline):
Dividends tax rate structure ....................
Capital gains tax rate structure ...............
Expensing for small business ...................
Marginal individual income tax rate
reductions ...............................................
Child tax credit 1 ........................................
Marriage penalty relief 2 ...........................
Education incentives .................................
Repeal of estate and generation-skipping
transfer taxes, and modification of gift
taxes ........................................................
Modifications of pension plans .................
Other incentives for families and children .........................................................
Total make permanent certain tax
cuts enacted in 2001 and 2003 ......

278
563
580
598
............ .............. .............. ..............
............ .............. .............. ..............

–9,362
–6,921
–4,541

–7,722
–10,143
–6,183

–15,343
–17,064
–10,724

–66,902
–59,322
–25,893

.............. ..............
.............. ..............
.............. ..............
..............
3

–68,604
–5,426
–4,960
–1,098

–68,604
–5,426
–4,960
–1,095

–622,082
–116,186
–37,093
–10,957

–193 –1,000 –1,609 –2,424 –3,178
............ .............. .............. .............. ..............

–25,891
–346

–34,102
–346

–333,086
–2,858

–171

–166

–4,363

............
............
............
............

..............
..............
..............
..............

............ .............. .............. ..............
85

–437

Tax Incentives:
Simplify and encourage saving:
Expand tax-free savings opportunities .... ............
1,874
Consolidate
employer-based
savings
accounts .................................................. ............
–331
Establish
Individual
Development
Accounts (IDAs) ...................................... ............ ..............
Total simplify and encourage saving
Encourage
entrepreneurship
and
investment:
Increase expensing for small business .....
Invest in health care:
Expand health savings accounts (HSAs) 3
Provide an above-the-line deduction for
high-deductible insurance premiums 4
Provide refundable tax credit for the purchase of health insurance 5 ....................
Improve the Health Coverage Tax
Credit 6 ....................................................
Allow the orphan drug tax credit for
certain pre-designation expenses 7 ........
Total invest in health care ................
Provide incentives for charitable giving:
Permit tax-free withdrawals from IRAs
for charitable contributions ...................
Expand and increase the enhanced charitable deduction for contributions of
food inventory .........................................
Reform excise tax based on investment
income of private foundations ...............
Modify tax on unrelated business taxable
income of charitable remainder trusts
Modify basis adjustment to stock of S
corporations contributing appreciated
property ..................................................
Repeal the $150 million limitation on
qualified 501(c)(3) bonds ........................

..............
..............
..............
..............

–1,029

–1,826 –23,994 –130,544

–157,830 –1,278,742

4,009

3,189

1,117

–2,671

7,518

–16,825

–495

–529

–570

–1,770

–3,695

–19,906

–134

–286

–326

–300

–1,046

–1,763

............

1,543

3,380

2,374

221

–4,741

2,777

–38,494

............

–2,130

–3,067

–2,380

–1,869

–1,503

–10,949

–16,481

............

–1,992

–4,351

–6,245

–7,768

–8,880

–29,236

–87,739

............

–2,529

–3,836

–3,873

–3,732

–3,713

–17,683

–38,531

............

–253

–856

–1,188

–1,396

–1,354

–5,047

–11,100

............

–1

–3

–4

–5

–18

–51

............ .............. .............. .............. .............. ................ .................. ..................
............

–4,775

–9,046 –11,310 –12,901

–13,952

–51,984

–137,421

............

–102

–510

–512

–501

–497

–2,122

–4,706

............

–44

–96

–106

–116

–127

–489

–1,345

............

–57

–86

–91

–97

–103

–434

–1,086

............

–1

–6

–25

–62

............

–3

–15

–21

–25

–28

–92

–301

............

–2

–3

–7

–11

–34

–87

MID–SESSION REVIEW

Table S–6.

RECEIPTS PROPOSALS—Continued
(In millions of dollars)
Total
2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011
2007–2011 2007–2016

Repeal certain restrictions on the use of
qualified 501(c)(3) bonds for residential
rental property ....................................... ............
Total provide incentives for charitable giving ......................................
Strengthen education:
Extend the above-the-line deduction for
qualified
out-of-pocket
classroom
expenses ..................................................
Provide assistance to distressed areas:
Establish Opportunity Zones ....................
Protect the environment:
Extend
permanently
expensing
of
brownfields remediation costs ...............
Restructure assistance to New York
City:
Provide tax incentives for transportation
infrastructure .........................................
Repeal certain New York City Liberty
Zone incentives .......................................

–2

–5

–10

–17

–24

–58

–286

............

–211

–721

–753

–773

–796

–3,254

–7,873

–17

–171

–178

–180

–183

–185

–897

–1,867

............

–221

–411

–439

–451

–482

–2,004

–4,960

–99

–148

–166

–179

–170

–159

–822

–1,523

............

–200

–1,000

–2,000

............

200

1,000

2,000

Total restructure assistance to New
York City ......................................... ............ .............. .............. .............. .............. ................ .................. ..................
Total tax incentives .....................

–116

–6,113 –10,209 –12,867 –16,126

–21,818

–67,133

–208,619

Simplify the Tax Laws for Families:
17
66
50
32
48
213
395
Clarify uniform definition of a child 8 .......... ............
Simplify EITC eligibility requirement
regarding filing status, presence of children, and work and immigration status 9 ............
28
–17
–17
–19
–23
–48
–150
Reduce
computational
complexity
of
refundable child tax credit 10 .................... ............ .............. .............. .............. .............. ................ .................. ..................
45

165

245

Strengthen the Employer-Based Pension
System:
Ensure fair treatment of older workers in
cash balance conversions and protect
defined benefit plans .................................
2
43
Strengthen funding for single-employer
pension plans ............................................. ............
388
Reflect market interest rates in lump sum
payments .................................................... ............ ..............

Total simplify the tax laws for families ... ............

318

910

1,859

–432

–2,402

–1,639

–2,226

–10,151

–3

–9

–17

–24

–53

–274

Total strengthen the employer-based
pension system ...................................

431

1,905

–378

–2,343

–1,576

–1,961

–9,515

............

............
............

2
82

14
141

30
148

43
155

41
163

130
689

201
1,635

............

222

Total close loopholes and improve tax
compliance ........................................... ............

177

201

224

236

930

2,175

Close Loopholes and Improve Tax Compliance:
Combat abusive foreign tax credit transactions .........................................................
Impose penalties on charities that fail to
enforce conservation easements ...............
Eliminate the special exclusion from unrelated business taxable income for gain or
loss on the sale or exchange of certain
brownfields .................................................
Limit related party interest deductions ......
Clarify and simplify qualified tuition programs ..........................................................

SUMMARY TABLES

Table S–6.

RECEIPTS PROPOSALS—Continued
(In millions of dollars)
Total
2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011
2007–2011 2007–2016

Tax
Administration,
Unemployment
Insurance, and Other:
Improve tax administration:
Implement IRS administrative reforms
and initiate cost saving measures 11 ..... ............
Reduce the tax gap .................................... ............

1
189

2
185

2
135

2
112

2
113

9
734

23
1,633

Total improve tax administration ......... ............
190
Strengthen financial integrity of
unemployment insurance:
Strengthen the financial integrity of the
unemployment insurance system by
reducing improper benefit payments
and tax avoidance 12 .............................. ............ ..............
Extend unemployment insurance surtax 12 ........................................................ ............ ..............

187

137

114

115

743

1,656

–18

–94

–58

–3,825

1,061

1,524

1,560

1,601

5,746

1,982

1,091

1,548

1,542

1,507

5,688

–1,843

–456

–147

–73

–74

–1,296

–1,684

Total strengthen integrity of unemployment insurance 12 ........................ ............ ..............
Other proposals:
Increase Indian gaming activity fees ....... ............ ..............
Repeal excise tax on local telephone service 12 ........................................................ ............
–546
Total other proposals 12 ......................... ............

–546

–451

–142

–68

–69

–1,276

–1,639

Total tax administration, unemployment insurance, and other 12 ......... ............

–356

827

1,543

1,588

1,553

5,155

–1,826

Modify Energy Policy Act of 2005:
Repeal reduced recovery period for natural
gas distribution lines ................................. ............
Modify amortization for certain geological
and geophysical expenditures ................... ............

129

144

427

957

112

165

135

507

566

Total modify Energy Policy Act of 2005 ............

126

214

226

199

169

934

1,523

Promote Trade:
Implement free trade agreements 12 ............ ............
Extend GSP 12 ................................................ ............

–201
–352

–420
–563

–569
–639

–702
–686

–776
–735

–2,668
–2,975

–7,195
–3,200

Total promote trade 12 ............................... ............

–553

–983

–1,208

–1,388

–1,511

–5,643

–10,395

–4,601

–5,944

–6,889

–7,669

–8,340

–33,443

–86,440

–144
–86
–25
–7
–3
–18 .............. .............. .............. ................

–265
–18

–266
–18

–62

–162

Extend Expiring Provisions:
Research & Experimentation (R&E) tax
credit .......................................................
Combined work opportunity/welfare-towork tax credit .......................................
First-time homebuyer credit for DC .........
Authority to issue Qualified Zone Academy Bonds ..............................................
Disclosure of tax return information
related to terrorist activity 7 .................
Excise tax on coal 12 ..................................

–2,097
–80
–1
............

–3

–8

–13

–18

–20

............ .............. .............. .............. .............. ................ .................. ..................
............ .............. .............. .............. .............. ................ ..................
768

Total extend expiring provisions 12 ... –2,178

–4,766

–6,038

–6,927

–7,694

–8,363

–33,788

–86,118

Total budget proposals, including proposals assumed in the baseline 12 ...... –2,207 –11,531 –15,087 –21,203 –49,521 –161,829

–259,171 –1,591,272

Total budget proposals, excluding proposals assumed in the baseline 12 ...... –2,292 –11,094 –14,058 –19,377 –25,527

–101,341

–31,285

–312,530

1 Affects both receipts and outlays. Only the receipt effect is shown here. The outlay effect is $47 million for 2011 and
$51,869 million for 2007–2016.
2 Affects both receipts and outlays. Only the receipt effect is shown here. The outlay effect is –$381 million for 2011 and
$7,459 million for 2007–2016.

MID–SESSION REVIEW

3 Affects both receipts and outlays. Only the receipt effect is shown here. The outlay effect is $92 million for 2007, $182
million for 2008, $257 million for 2009, $316 million for 2010, $359 million for 2011, $1,206 million for 2007–2011, and
$3,566 million for 2007–2016.
4 Affects both receipts and outlays. Only the receipt effect is shown here. The outlay effect is $248 million for 2007, $321
million for 2008, $326 million for 2009, $310 million for 2010, $313 million for 2011, $1,518 million for 2007–2011, and
$3,275 million for 2007–2016.
5 Affects both receipts and outlays. Only the receipt effect is shown here. The outlay effect is $379 million for 2007, $744
million for 2008, $1,089 million for 2009, $1,243 million for 2010, $1,337 million for 2011, $4,792 million for 2007–2011,
and $12,878 million for 2007–2016.
6 Affects both receipts and outlays. Only the receipt effect is shown here. The outlay effect is $4 million for 2007, $10
million for 2008, $12 million for 2009, $14 million for 2010, $15 million for 2011, $55 million for 2007–2011, and $139 million for 2007–2016.
7 No net budgetary impact.
8 Affects both receipts and outlays. Only the receipt effect is shown here. The outlay effect is –$170 million for 2008,
–$196 million for 2009, –$250 million for 2010, –$234 million for 2011, –$850 million for 2007–2011, and –$2,224 million
for 2007–2016.
9 Affects both receipts and outlays. Only the receipt effect is shown here. The outlay effect is –$209 million for 2007,
$127 million for 2008, $106 million for 2009, $100 million for 2010, $97 million for 2011, $221 million for 2007–2011, and
$683 million for 2007–2016.
10 Affects both receipts and outlays. Only the receipt effect is shown here. The outlay effect is –$332 million for 2008,
–$342 million for 2009, –$347 million for 2010, –$357 million for 2011, –$1,378 million for 2007–2011, and –$3,263 million
for 2007–2016.
11 Outlays from this proposal will be reflected in the Financial Management Service’s budget.
12 Net of income offsets.

SUMMARY TABLES

Table S–7.

BUDGET SUMMARY BY CATEGORY
(In billions of dollars)
2005

Outlays:
Discretionary:
DOD military .....................................
Homeland security ............................
Other ..................................................

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

473
30
465

510
32
493

536
35
498

516
35
474

493
37
464

490
38
459

500
40
454

Total, Discretionary .......................
Mandatory:
Social Security:
Current program ...........................
Personal accounts ..........................
Medicare ............................................
Medicaid and SCHIP ........................
Other ..................................................

968

1,035

1,068

1,025

994

988

994

519
................
294
187
320

549
................
330
191
372

581
................
382
200
319

611
................
401
213
330

643
................
429
227
354

680
24
458
244
366

720
58
501
264
387

Total, Mandatory ...........................
Net Interest ...........................................

1,320
184

1,442
219

1,482
248

1,554
268

1,654
281

1,773
293

1,929
302

Total Outlays ............................................
Receipts .....................................................

2,472
2,154

2,696
2,400

2,798
2,459

2,847
2,659

2,929
2,772

3,053
2,930

3,224
3,098

Deficit ....................................................

–318

–296

–339

–188

–157

–123

–127

On-budget deficit ..................................
Off-budget surplus ................................

–494
175

–470
174

–517
177

–394
206

–380
224

–344
221

–334
207

MID–SESSION REVIEW

Table S–8.

RECEIPTS BY SOURCE
(In billions of dollars)
2005
Actual

February estimates:
Individual income taxes ................................................
Corporation income taxes .............................................
Social insurance and retirement receipts ....................
Excise taxes ...................................................................
Estate and gift taxes .....................................................
Customs duties ..............................................................
Miscellaneous receipts ..................................................

Estimate
2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

927.2
278.3
794.1
73.1
24.8
23.4
33.0

997.6
277.1
841.1
73.5
27.5
25.9
42.8

1,096.4
260.6
884.1
74.6
23.7
28.1
48.4

1,208.5
268.5
932.1
75.9
24.4
31.4
49.4

1,268.4
277.1
980.7
77.5
26.0
31.7
52.7

1,370.1
282.0
1,037.4
78.9
20.1
34.0
55.7

1,466.9
292.0
1,096.7
83.1
1.6
36.2
58.4

2,153.9

2,285.5

2,415.9

2,590.3

2,714.2

2,878.2

3,034.9

927.2
278.3
794.1
73.1
24.8
23.4
33.0

1,063.4
332.3
833.9
73.2
27.4
24.7
45.7

1,107.7
324.7
864.7
59.4
23.1
28.0
51.2

1,246.5
316.2
922.1
68.4
23.7
30.7
50.9

1,299.9
317.3
971.3
72.7
25.3
31.8
53.7

1,404.4
313.5
1,028.5
74.2
19.4
33.5
56.3

1,511.8
323.8
1,088.6
78.3
1.5
34.8
58.8

2,153.9

2,400.5

2,458.8

2,658.6

2,772.0

2,929.8

3,097.7

..............
..............
..............
..............
..............
..............
..............

65.8
55.1
–7.2
–0.3
–0.1
–1.2
3.0

11.4
64.2
–19.4
–15.3
–0.6
–0.1
2.8

38.0
47.7
–10.0
–7.6
–0.7
–0.7
1.5

31.4
40.2
–9.3
–4.8
–0.7
0.1
1.0

34.3
31.5
–8.9
–4.7
–0.7
–0.4
0.6

45.0
31.8
–8.1
–4.9
–*
–1.4
0.4

Total ............................................................................ ..............

115.0

43.0

68.3

57.8

51.7

62.8

Total ............................................................................
Mid-Session estimates:
Individual income taxes ................................................
Corporation income taxes .............................................
Social insurance and retirement receipts ....................
Excise taxes ...................................................................
Estate and gift taxes .....................................................
Customs duties ..............................................................
Miscellaneous receipts ..................................................
Total ............................................................................
Difference:
Individual income taxes ................................................
Corporation income taxes .............................................
Social insurance and retirement receipts ....................
Excise taxes ...................................................................
Estate and gift taxes .....................................................
Customs duties ..............................................................
Miscellaneous receipts ..................................................

* $50 million or less.

SUMMARY TABLES

Table S–9.

OUTLAYS BY AGENCY

(In billions of dollars)
2005
Actual
Legislative Branch ..................................................................
Judicial Branch .......................................................................
Agriculture ..............................................................................
Commerce ................................................................................
Defense—Military ...................................................................
Education .................................................................................
Energy ......................................................................................
Health and Human Services ..................................................
Homeland Security .................................................................
Housing and Urban Development .........................................
Interior .....................................................................................
Justice ......................................................................................
Labor ........................................................................................
State .........................................................................................
Transportation ........................................................................
Treasury ..................................................................................
Veterans Affairs ......................................................................
Corps of Engineers-Civil Works .............................................
Other Defense Civil Programs ...............................................
Environmental Protection Agency .........................................
Executive Office of the President ..........................................
General Services Administration ...........................................
International Assistance Programs .......................................
National Aeronautics and Space Administration .................
National Science Foundation .................................................
Office of Personnel Management ...........................................
Small Business Administration .............................................
Social Security Administration ..............................................
Other Independent Agencies ..................................................
Allowances ...............................................................................
Undistributed Offsetting Receipts .........................................
Total .....................................................................................
* $50 million or less.

February estimates
2006

4.0
5.5
85.3
6.1
474.4
72.9
21.3
581.5
38.7
42.5
9.3
22.4
46.9
12.7
56.6
410.2
69.8
4.7
43.5
7.9
7.7
*
15.0
15.6
5.4
59.5
2.5
561.3
15.0
....................
–226.2

4.4
6.1
95.7
6.5
512.1
84.0
21.7
641.5
66.8
46.8
9.1
22.3
51.4
13.6
61.3
452.1
70.4
7.4
45.7
7.9
7.4
0.4
16.3
15.6
5.8
63.5
1.2
592.4
17.3
3.7
–241.6

2,472.2

2,708.7

2007

Mid-Session estimates
2006

4.4
4.4
6.4
6.1
92.8
94.6
6.6
6.6
504.9
512.1
64.5
88.4
21.4
20.3
699.6
627.4
43.6
72.6
44.7
45.9
9.4
9.6
24.7
22.6
53.4
47.1
14.5
14.0
65.7
61.4
494.3
456.7
73.8
70.4
5.9
7.3
47.3
45.7
7.9
8.0
2.4
5.4
0.9
0.4
16.8
15.9
16.4
15.6
5.8
5.8
67.3
63.5
0.6
1.4
622.7
591.1
21.6
16.6
5.5 ....................
–275.5
–240.6
2,770.1

2,696.3

2007
4.5
6.4
88.3
6.7
537.3
66.6
21.6
687.9
49.3
45.9
10.0
24.6
50.2
15.2
65.9
499.3
74.0
7.8
47.5
7.9
3.6
0.9
17.2
16.4
5.8
67.4
1.4
622.0
22.3
–0.4
–275.6
2,798.0

MID–SESSION REVIEW

Table S–10.

OUTLAYS BY FUNCTION
(In billions of dollars)
2005
Actual

National defense .....................................................................
International affairs ...............................................................
General science, space, and technology .................................
Energy ......................................................................................
Natural resources and environment ......................................
Agriculture ..............................................................................
Commerce and housing credit ...............................................
Transportation ........................................................................
Community and regional development .................................
Education, training, employment, and social services .........
Health ......................................................................................
Medicare ..................................................................................
Income security .......................................................................
Social Security .........................................................................
Veterans benefits and services ..............................................
Administration of justice ........................................................
General government ...............................................................
Net interest .............................................................................
Allowances ...............................................................................
Undistributed offsetting receipts ...........................................
Total .....................................................................................

February estimates
2006

495.3
34.6
23.7
0.4
28.0
26.6
7.6
67.9
26.3
97.5
250.6
298.6
345.8
523.3
70.2
40.0
17.1
184.0
....................
–65.2

535.9
34.8
24.0
2.6
32.7
26.8
9.1
71.6
52.0
109.7
268.8
343.0
360.6
554.7
70.4
41.3
19.1
220.1
3.7
–72.4

2,472.2

2,708.7

2007

Mid-Session estimates
2006

527.4
534.9
33.3
32.9
25.4
24.0
1.0
1.8
31.0
33.8
25.7
26.2
11.2
9.3
76.3
72.1
28.2
58.8
87.6
114.1
280.9
261.6
392.0
335.6
367.2
359.1
585.9
553.8
73.9
70.4
44.3
41.4
20.2
18.8
247.3
219.2
5.5 ....................
–94.3
–71.4
2,770.1

2,696.3

2007
560.4
35.7
25.5
1.0
33.9
21.7
12.0
76.7
34.8
89.9
274.7
387.3
365.9
585.4
74.1
45.7
20.2
247.8
–0.4
–94.4
2,798.0

SUMMARY TABLES

Table S–11.

CURRENT SERVICES BASELINE CATEGORY TOTALS
(In billions of dollars)
2005

Outlays:
Discretionary:
DOD military .....................................
Homeland security ............................
Other ..................................................

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

473
30
465

510
32
493

471
35
501

442
35
489

447
36
492

457
36
498

472
38
506

Total, Discretionary .......................
Mandatory:
Social Security ...................................
Medicare ............................................
Medicaid and SCHIP ........................
Other ..................................................

968

1,035

1,006

966

975

991

1,016

519
294
187
320

549
330
191
369

581
385
199
318

611
406
213
337

644
437
228
356

681
466
245
369

720
511
264
389

Total, Mandatory ...........................
Net Interest ...........................................

1,320
184

1,439
219

1,482
247

1,566
264

1,664
275

1,761
284

1,884
290

Total Outlays ............................................
Receipts .....................................................

2,472
2,154

2,693
2,403

2,736
2,470

2,796
2,673

2,914
2,791

3,036
2,955

3,191
3,129

Deficit ....................................................

–318

–290

–266

–123

–122

–81

–62

On-budget deficit ..................................
Off-budget surplus ................................

–494
175

–468
177

–446
181

–332
209

–349
227

–330
249

–333
271

MID–SESSION REVIEW

Table S–12.

OUTLAYS FOR MANDATORY PROGRAMS UNDER CURRENT
LAW 1
(In billions of dollars)
2005
Actual

Estimate
2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

Human resources programs:
Education, training, employment and social
services .............................................................
Health ..................................................................
Medicare ..............................................................
Income security ...................................................
Social security .....................................................
Veterans’ benefits and services .........................

18
200
294
292
519
40

33
208
330
304
549
38

12
216
385
310
581
39

12
231
406
325
611
45

12
247
437
336
644
48

13
266
466
346
681
51

13
286
511
361
720
57

Subtotal, human resources programs ............

1,363

1,462

1,542

1,629

1,723

1,823

1,949

Other mandatory programs:
International affairs ...........................................
Energy .................................................................
Natural resources and environment .................
Agriculture ..........................................................
Commerce and housing credit ...........................
Transportation ....................................................
Community and regional development .............
Justice ..................................................................
General government ...........................................
Undistributed offsetting receipts .......................
Other functions ...................................................

–4
–3
–2
21
5
2
1
1
1
–65
2

–5
–2
–*
20
6
1
18
1
2
–68
3

–2
–3
1
17
7
2
2
2
2
–91
3

–2
–2
1
17
4
2
*
1
2
–89
3

–2
–3
1
17
2
2
–*
1
2
–81
3

–2
–3
1
16
*
2
–*
*
2
–82
3

–2
–3
1
16
1
2
–*
*
2
–85
3

Subtotal, other mandatory programs ............

–43

–23

–60

–63

–59

–62

–65

Total, outlays for mandatory programs
under current law ....................................

1,320

1,439

1,482

1,566

1,664

1,761

1,884

* $500 million or less
1 This table meets the requirements of Section 221(b) of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970.

SUMMARY TABLES

Table S–13.

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FINANCING AND DEBT
(Dollar amounts in billions)
2005
Actual

Financing:
Unified budget deficit (–) ...............................................
Financing other than the change in debt held by the
public:
Net purchases (–) of non-Federal securities by the
National Railroad Retirement Investment Trust
Changes in: 1
Treasury operating cash balance ...........................
Checks outstanding, etc. 2 .......................................
Seigniorage on coins ...................................................
Less: Net financing disbursements:
Direct loan financing accounts ...............................
Guaranteed loan financing accounts .....................

Estimate
2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

–318

–296

–339

–188

–157

–123

–127

–2

–3

–*

1 .............. .............. .............. .............. .............. ..............
17 .............. .............. .............. .............. .............. ..............
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
–5
11

–16
11

–18
–2

–18
–1

–19
–1

–19
–*

–20
–*

Total, financing other than the change in debt
held by the public .............................................

–7

–19

–18

–20

Total, requirement to borrow from the
public .........................................................

–297

–303

–358

–207

–175

–142

–147

Change in debt held by the public ................................

297

303

358

207

175

142

147

Changes in Debt Subject to Limitation:
Change in debt held by the public ................................
Change in debt held by Government accounts ............
Change in other factors .................................................

297
254
–13

303
290
*

358
265
1

207
318
1

175
332
3

142
331
2

147
314
3

Total, change in debt subject to statutory limitation

538

593

623

526

510

475

463

Debt Subject to Statutory Limitation, End of
Year:
Debt issued by Treasury ................................................
Adjustment for discount, premium, and coverage 3 .....

7,879
–8

8,472
–8

9,096
–8

9,622
–8

10,130
–6

10,603
–4

11,063
–3

Total, debt subject to statutory limitation 4 ..............

7,871

8,464

9,087

9,613

10,124

10,598

11,061

Debt Outstanding, End of Year:
Gross Federal debt: 5
Debt issued by Treasury ............................................
Debt issued by other agencies ...................................

7,879
26

8,472
26

9,096
25

9,622
25

10,130
24

10,603
23

11,063
23

7,905

8,498

9,121

9,646

10,154

10,626

11,086

3,313
4,592
37.4%

3,603
4,895
37.3%

3,868
5,253
37.8%

4,186
5,460
37.2%

4,518
5,635
36.4%

4,849
5,777
35.5%

5,162
5,923
34.5%

Total, gross Federal debt ........................................
Held by:
Debt held by Government accounts ...........................
Debt held by the public ..............................................
As a percent of GDP ...............................................

* $500 million or less.
1 A decrease in the Treasury operating cash balance (which is an asset) is a means of financing a deficit and therefore
has a positive sign. An increase in checks outstanding (which is a liability) is also a means of financing a deficit and therefore also has a positive sign.
2 Besides checks outstanding, includes accrued interest payable on Treasury debt, uninvested deposit fund balances, allocations of special drawing rights, and other liability accounts; and, as an offset, cash and monetary assets (other than
the Treasury operating cash balance), other asset accounts, and profit on sale of gold.
3 Consists mainly of Federal Financing Bank debt (which is not subject to limit), the unamortized discount (less premium) on public issues of Treasury notes and bonds (other than zero-coupon bonds), and the unrealized discount on Government account series securities.
4 The statutory debt limit is $8,965 billion, enacted on March 20, 2006.
5 Treasury securities held by the public and zero-coupon bonds held by Government accounts are almost all measured at
sales price plus amortized discount or less amortized premium. Agency debt securities are almost all measured at face
value. Treasury securities in the Government account series are otherwise measured at face value less unrealized discount
(if any).

GLOSSARY
Appropriation.—An appropriation provides
legal authority for Federal agencies to incur
obligations and to make payments out of the
Treasury for specified purposes. Appropriations bills, such as the Department of Homeland Security or the Departments of Labor,
Health and Human Services, and Education
bills, are considered every year by the Congress and supplemental appropriations bills
are considered from time to time.
Authorization.—An authorization is an act
of the Congress that establishes or continues
a Federal program or agency and sets forth
the guidelines to which it must adhere.
Budget Authority.—Budget authority is the
authority provided by law to incur financial
obligations that will result in outlays.
Budget Resolution.—The budget resolution
is the Congress’ annual framework that sets
targets for total budget authority, total outlays, total revenues, and the deficit (on-budget), as well as discretionary and mandatory
allocations within the spending targets. These
targets guide the committees’ deliberations. A
budget resolution does not become law and is
not binding on the Executive Branch.
Cap.—A ‘‘cap’’ is a legal limit on annual
discretionary spending.
Deficit.—A deficit is the amount by which
outlays exceed receipts in a fiscal year.
Discretionary
Spending.—Discretionary
spending is spending that the President and
the Congress control through annual appropriations bills. Examples include spending for
such activities as the FBI, the Coast Guard,
education, space exploration, highway construction, defense, and foreign aid.
Entitlement.—An entitlement program is
one in which the Federal Government is legally obligated to make payments or provide
aid to any person who meets the legal criteria
for eligibility. Examples include Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and Food Stamps.
Fiscal Year.—The fiscal year is the Federal
Government’s accounting period. It begins on
October 1st and ends on September 30th. For

example, fiscal year 2007 begins on October
1, 2006, and ends on September 30, 2007.
Gross Domestic Product (GDP).—GDP is
a measure of the market value of goods and
services produced within the United States. It
is the standard measure of the size of the economy.
Mandatory Spending.—Mandatory spending is controlled by permanent law rather than
annual appropriations. Examples are Social
Security and the Student Loan Program. The
President and the Congress can change the
law with respect to the eligibility criteria or
the payment formula, and thus change the
level of spending on mandatory programs, but
annual action is not necessary to ensure the
continuation of spending. In addition, budget
authority provided in annual appropriations
acts for certain programs is treated as mandatory because the authorizing legislation entitles beneficiaries to receive payment or otherwise obligates the Government to make payment.
Obligations.—Obligations
are
binding
agreements that result in outlays, immediately
or in the future.
Outlays.—Outlays are the primary measure
of Government spending. Outlays are payments to liquidate obligations, largely measured on a cash basis. Total Federal outlays
are a net figure, consisting of gross payments
minus the amount of business-like collections
and intragovernmental transactions, in a given
fiscal year.
Receipts.—Governmental receipts (sometimes called receipts or revenues) are the collections of money that primarily result from
taxes and similar Government powers to compel payment. Examples of governmental receipts include income taxes, payroll taxes, excise taxes, and customs duties. They do not
include offsetting receipts or collections from
the Federal Government’s business-like activities, such as the entrance fees at national
parks, or collections by one Government account from another.
Surplus.—A surplus is the amount by
which receipts exceed outlays in a fiscal year.
45

Full text of Mid-Session Review of the Budget : Fiscal Year 2007

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