Recent CRS Reports – November 2021

“Lobbying Registration and Disclosure: The Role of the Clerk of the House and the Secretary of the Senate,” CRS Report RL34377, November 29, 2021 (17-page PDF) “The Debt Limit in 2021,” CRS Insight IN11702, November 24, 2021 (7-page PDF) “Cybersecurity: Selected Cyberattacks, 2012-2021,” CRS Report R46974, November 22, 2021 (28-page PDF) “Apportionment and Redistricting Process … Read more

Budget Deficit / Budget Surplus (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Budget Deficit / Budget Surplus   Lesson 1 National Debt & Budget Deficit Explained   The relationship between spending and revenues is reflected in the surplus or deficit figure. A surplus is an excess of revenues over outlays, while a deficit is an excess of … Read more

Means of Financing (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Means of Financing photo credit: photosteve101 Ways in which a budget deficit is financed or a budget surplus is used. A budget deficit may be financed by the Department of the Treasury (Treasury) (or agency) borrowing, by reducing Treasury cash balances, by the sale of … Read more

Statutory Limit on the Public Debt / Budget Control Act of 2011 (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Statutory Limit on the Public Debt / Budget Control Act of 2011 The maximum amount, established in law, of public debt that can be outstanding. The debt limit covers virtually all debt incurred by the Federal Government (primarily the Treasury Department), including borrowing from trust … Read more

Combined Statement of Receipts, Outlays, and Balances of the United States Government (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Combined Statement of Receipts, Outlays, and Balances of the United States Government photo credit: Martin Cathrae The Department of the Treasury’s annual accounting of the (1) unified budget receipts activities of the federal government, which should be consistent with the aggregated custodial nonexchange revenues (before … Read more

Public Debt / Debt Ceiling / Debt Limit (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Public Debt / Debt Ceiling / Debt Limit   Debt Limit – A Guide to American Federal Debt Made Easy   Public Debt: Cumulative amounts borrowed by the Treasury Department or the Federal Financing Bank from the public or from another fund or account. The … Read more

Seigniorage (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Seigniorage The difference between the face value of minted circulating coins and the cost of their production, including the cost of metal used in the minting and the cost of transporting the coins to Federal Reserve Banks for distribution to the public. Seigniorage reflects an … Read more

Debt Limit – A Guide to American Federal Debt Made Easy

Starring Brian Stepanek and Eddie Jemison From debtlimitusa.org More “Clearing the Air on the Debt Limit,” CRS Report R45011 (33-page PDF) Public Debt / Debt Ceiling / Debt Limit (CongressionalGlossary.com) Understanding Congressional Budgeting and Appropriations Advanced Federal Budget Process The Defense Budget The Federal Budget Process Federal Budget Links and Research Tools