Skip to main content

Federal Debt: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions--An Update

OCG-99-27 Published: May 28, 1999. Publicly Released: May 28, 1999.
Jump To:

Highlights

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO updated its report on frequently asked questions on the federal debt, focusing on: (1) how debt is defined and measured; (2) who holds federal debt; (3) how much it has grown in recent years; and (4) its significance to the national economy.

Full Report

Full Report (59 pages)

Office of Public Affairs

Topics

Auditing and Financial Management
Authority to borrow from publicDebt held by publicDeficit reductionEconomic analysisFederal debtGross national productInterest ratesUS government securitiesSecuritiesBudget deficit