Fiscal Year 2007 Federal Budget Proposal

Combined Mandatory and Discretionary Spending

The Defense Monitor, March/April 2006

Center for Defense Information

The amount of "total" federal spending in Fiscal Year 2007, as proposed by the president. "Total" spending includes both annual appropriations, known and "discretionary" spending and longer term appropriations, known as "entitlements" or "mandatory" spending. Discretionary spending includes programs like foreign aid and the cost of national parks; mandatory spending includes programs like Social Security, Medicare, and interest on the federal debt. Decisions in Congress and the executive branch to make a specific program either discretionary or mandatory are often made for arbitrary or political reasons. Any characterization of "federal" spending should include both.

Fiscal 2007 Budget Proposal in billions of dollars

Social Security	$588.4
National Security	$513.0
Health	$280.0
Medicare	$391.7
Income Security	$365.9
Net Federal Debt	$247.3
Education	$86.3
Transportation	$78.4
Veterans Benefits	$77.8
Law Enforcement	$42.2

International Affairs	$337
Natural Resources and Environment	$28.7
Agriculture	$27
Science, Space and Technology	$26.2
Government	$20.2
Commerce	$13.9
Community Development	$11.5
Energy	$1.2

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