Recent CRS Reports – Sept. 1, 2013

Government Assistance for AIG: Summary and Cost, CRS Report R42953, August 14, 2013 (25-page PDF) Reauthorizing the Office of National Drug Control Policy: Issues for Consideration, CRS Report R41535, August 13, 2013 (19-page PDF) Bee Health: Background and Issues for Congress, CRS Report R43191, August 27, 2013 (33-page PDF) The Debt Limit: History and Recent … Read more

Budget and Accounting Act of 1921 (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Budget and Accounting Act of 1921   Panel 1: The History of the 1921 and 1974 Budget Acts   The Budget and Accounting Act of 1921 (Pub.L. 67-13, 42 Stat. 20–27) required for the first time that the president submit to Congress each year a … 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

Federal Debt (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Federal Debt   The Debt Ceiling Explained: Why You Should Care   The federal debt consists of public debt, which occurs when the Treasury of the Federal Financing Bank (FFB) borrows money directly from the public or other funds or accounts, and government debt / … 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