Options for reducing the deficit

Description

This volume presents 103 options that would decrease federal spending of increase federal revenues over the next decade. Those options cover many areas-ranging from defense to energy, Social Security, and provisions of the tax code. The budgetary effects identified for most of the options span the 10 years from 2014 to 2023 (the period covered by CBO's May 2013 baseline budget projections), although many of the options would have longer-term effects as well. Chapters 2 through 5 present options in the following categories: Chapter 2: Mandatory spending other than that for health-related programs; Chapter 3: Discretionary spending other than that for health-related programs, Chapter 4: revenues other than those related to health; Chapter 5: Health-related programs and revenue provisions. In addition to 11 options that are similar in scope to others in this volume, Chapter 5 includes 5 broad approaches for reducing spending on health care programs or revenues forgone because of tax provisions related to health care. Each would offer lawmakers a variety of possibilities for making changes in current laws. Chapter 6 differs from the rest of the volume; it discusses the challenges and the potential budgetary effects of eliminating a cabinet department.

Subjects