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Surpluses and Federal Debt (CRS Report for Congress)

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Release Date March 1, 1999
Report Number RS20065
Report Type Report
Authors Philip D. Winters, Economics Division
Source Agency Congressional Research Service
Summary:

The federal government had a surplus of $70 billion in FY1998 while total federal debt increased by $109 billion. Why did the debt increase even though the government had a surplus? For the next decade, the expected overall surpluses will reduce the amount of debt held by the public. Debt held in government accounts will continue increasing since these accounts will continue to run surpluses. Because of this, total federal debt will continue growing through FY2005 and then fall through FY2009 (the end of the projection period), according to the Congressional Budget Office projections.