- How did the national debt get to be so big?
- Who determines how much interest is paid on the national debt?
- Is there a limit on the national debt?
- What practical impact does the national debt have?
- Why can't the government just print more money to get out of debt?
- What is the public debt?
- How much has the public debt increased in recent years?
- How much U.S. debt is owned by foreign countries?
- Why is the president's budget request important?
- Why does the Congressional Budget Office prepare cost estimates?
- What's the difference between the debt and the deficit?

A – B (APPROPRIATION – BUDGET SURPLUS)
C – E (CONTINUING RESOLUTION – ENTITLEMENTS)
F – N (FEDERAL DEBT – NATIONAL DEBT)
O – P (OBLIGATION – PRESIDENT'S BUDGET)
S – U (SCOREKEEPING – UNFUNDED MANDATE)
Frequently Asked Questions About the National Debt
national debt
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