Understanding federal programs and fiscal policy is key to making sense of our nation’s budget challenges. Below you will find a series of explainers on topics like the national debt, budget ...

2025-08-21-What is Budget Reconciliation?Whenever a reconciliation bill is moving through the Senate, any senator can raise a challenge — known as a point of order — if they believe part of the bill ...

What Is the National Debt? The national debt is the total amount of money that a country's government owes to creditors. It accumulates over time because governments often spend more money than they ...

2025-08-21-What is Social Security?OASI is funded primarily through payroll taxes. Workers and employers each contribute 6.2 percent of wages, up to an annual limit ($176,100 in 2025). Self-employed ...

Importantly, the CRFB Adjusted August 2025 Baseline does not incorporate the dynamic effects from OBBBA nor other changes to ...