摘要: Deep concern over the federal deficit continues to drive the budget debate. TheCongressional Budget Office (CBO) projects that if current policies remain unchanged, the deficit will begin to grow in 1997 after four years of declin... 展开 Deep concern over the federal deficit continues to drive the budget debate. TheCongressional Budget Office (CBO) projects that if current policies remain unchanged, the deficit will begin to grow in 1997 after four years of decline. That growth is expected to be moderate over the next decade. More troubling, however, are long-term budgetary trends that threaten to create unprecedented deficits and debt by the middle of the next century, potentially causing damage to the economy. Taking action now to reduce the deficit in the near term would contribute to long-term budgetary stability and make the additional policy changes required in the future less painful. This volume includes many options for changes that would help to lower the deficit by reducing spending or increasing revenues. The President and the Congress have expressed their commitment to a balanced budget by 2002, and the options could be used to devise a wide variety of ways to reach that goal. 收起