Budget and Spending

National Debt

Saving the American Dream

The Heritage Foundation offers a detailed plan to redesign entitlement programs, guarantee assistance to those who need it, and save the American dream for future generations. Read More.

Federal Budget Chart Book

See the web’s best visual presentation of federal spending, taxes, debt, and entitlements. Read More.

America’s national debt is fast approaching economically damaging levels and is projected to grow even higher in the future. Entitlements are the main drivers of America’s long-term spending and debt and must be reformed to prevent a European-style debt crisis.

Introduction to the Research

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Experts on National Debt

Stuart M. Butler, Ph.D.
Distinguished Fellow and Director, Center for Policy Innovation
Alison Acosta Fraser
Director, Thomas A. Roe Institute for Economic Policy Studies
J.D. Foster, Ph.D.
Norman B. Ture Senior Fellow in the Economics of Fiscal Policy
Rea S. Hederman, Jr.
Director, Center for Data Analysis and Lazof Family Fellow
Patrick Louis Knudsen
Consultant - Visiting Fellow

Our Work

Backgrounder posted June 26, 1985 by Juliana Geran Why Romania No Longer Deserves to Be a Most Favored Nation
Backgrounder posted March 15, 2005 by Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D. The Impact of Government Spending on Economic Growth
Testimony posted August 28, 2007 by David B. Muhlhausen, Ph.D. The Death Penalty Deters Crime and Saves Lives
Backgrounder posted August 28, 2012 by Nicolas Loris Hydraulic Fracturing: Critical for Energy Production, Jobs, and Economic Growth
Backgrounder posted January 25, 1996 by Patrick F. Fagan, Ph.D. Why Religion Matters: The Impact of Religious Practice on Social Stability
Backgrounder posted February 12, 2013 by Romina Boccia How the United States’ High Debt Will Weaken the Economy and Hurt Americans
Backgrounder posted May 15, 2013 by Lindsey Burke, Rachel Sheffield 13 Ways the 113th Congress Can Improve Education in America
Center for Data Analysis Report posted August 21, 2008 by Shanea Watkins, Ph.D., James Sherk Who Serves in the U.S. Military? The Demographics of Enlisted Troops and Officers
Backgrounder posted April 25, 2012 by James Jay Carafano, Ph.D., Steven P. Bucci, Ph.D., Jessica Zuckerman Fifty Terror Plots Foiled Since 9/11: The Homegrown Threat and the Long War on Terrorism
Backgrounder posted May 21, 2009 by James Sherk What Unions Do: How Labor Unions Affect Jobs and the Economy

Blog Post on Friday, May 24, 2013 Indonesia Continues to Disappoint on Religious Freedom
Blog Post on Friday, May 24, 2013 Iran’s Bogus "Election" Process
Blog Post on Friday, May 24, 2013 Tornado Victims Get Help from Faith-Based Charities and Churches
Blog Post on Friday, May 24, 2013 Thoughts About the Washington State Bridge Collapse and Transportation
Blog Post on Friday, May 24, 2013 Will President Obama Call the London Attack Terrorism?
Issue Brief posted May 24, 2013 by Ryan Olson, Anthony B. Kim Congress Should Query IMF Support for Capital Controls
Blog Post on Friday, May 24, 2013 Did the IRS's Lois Lerner Waive Her Fifth Amendment Rights?
Blog Post on Friday, May 24, 2013 France Needs To See the Job Through in Mali
Blog Post on Friday, May 24, 2013 Internet Sales Tax Coalition “Fact Check” Needs Checking
Blog Post on Friday, May 24, 2013 Religious Liberty May Be Threatened for U.S. Military

May 29

Event on Wednesday, May 29, 2013 Masters of Nothing: How the Crash Will Happen Again Unless We Understand Human Nature
If we are to avoid a second crash, then we must achieve a better comprehension of human behavior and apply this understanding to how the — Read more

Attend in Person Watch Online
May 29

Event on Wednesday, May 29, 2013 The Last Days of Kim Jong-il: The North Korean Threat in a Changing Era
North Korea has remained a thorn in the side of the United States ever since its creation in the aftermath of the Korean conflict of — Read more

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May 30

Event on Thursday, May 30, 2013 How the West Really Lost God: A New Theory of Secularization
In How the West Really Lost God, leading cultural critic Mary Eberstadt delivers a powerful new theory about the decline of religion in the Western — Read more

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Jun 03

Event on Monday, June 03, 2013 U.S.-India: Prospects for Partnership - A Discussion with Members of the Indian Parliament
Join us as we examine the current status of the U.S. relationship with India – and explore how this relationship might expand. China’s rise, the — Read more

Attend in Person Watch Online
Jun 05

Event on Wednesday, June 05, 2013 Honor Flight: One Last Mission
A special screeningHonor Flight is a heartwarming documentary about four living World War II veterans and a Midwest community coming together to give them the — Read more

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Jun 06

Event on Thursday, June 06, 2013 The Lack of Science in the Scientific Consensus: The Case of the National Climate Assessment
Global-warming alarmists continually refer to a “scientific consensus” to support drastic policy proposals. They insist on peer-reviewed publications as the standard for debate, while ignoring — Read more

Attend in Person Watch Online
Jun 06

Event on Thursday, June 06, 2013 After the 2014 Withdrawal: How to Sustain the Decade of Gains for Women in Afghanistan
Co-hosted by the United States Institute of PeaceThe Heritage Foundation and the United States Institute of Peace will co-host Congresswomen Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and — Read more

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Jun 14

Event on Friday, June 14, 2013 American Betrayal: The Secret Assault on Our Nation’s Character
In American Betrayal, Diana West argues that – current policies today notwithstanding – America began to abandon its core ideals and march toward Socialism nearly — Read more

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Jun 21

Event on Friday, June 21, 2013 Lincoln Unbound: How an Ambitious Young Railsplitter Saved the American Dream – and How We Can Do It Again
In a mix of history and politics, author Rich Lowry traces Abraham Lincoln's ambitious climb from provincial upstart to political powerhouse and calls for a — Read more

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Jul 08

Event on Monday, July 08, 2013 Sagebrush Rebel: Reagan’s Battle with Environmental Extremists and Why It Matters Today
Ronald Reagan, with his unbridled faith in American ingenuity, creativity, and know-how and his confidence in the free-enterprise system, believed the United States would “transcend” — Read more

Attend in Person Watch Online

Blog Post on 5/24/2013 5:30:27 PM Indonesia Continues to Disappoint on Religious Freedom
Blog Post on 5/24/2013 4:30:33 PM Iran’s Bogus "Election" Process
Blog Post on 5/24/2013 2:30:52 PM Tornado Victims Get Help from Faith-Based Charities and Churches
Blog Post on 5/24/2013 1:46:41 PM Thoughts About the Washington State Bridge Collapse and Transportation
Blog Post on 5/24/2013 12:30:23 PM Will President Obama Call the London Attack Terrorism?
Blog Post on 5/24/2013 11:09:00 AM Did the IRS's Lois Lerner Waive Her Fifth Amendment Rights?
Blog Post on 5/24/2013 10:30:46 AM France Needs To See the Job Through in Mali
Blog Post on 5/24/2013 9:30:41 AM Internet Sales Tax Coalition “Fact Check” Needs Checking
Blog Post on 5/24/2013 9:00:42 AM Religious Liberty May Be Threatened for U.S. Military
Blog Post on 5/24/2013 7:26:19 AM Morning Bell: President Obama Is Tired of Fighting Terrorism

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