America's priorities : how the U.S. Government raises and spends $3,000,000,000,000 (trillion) per year

I. Introduction : America's priorities

II. Unlocking the mysteries of the federal budget process

2-1. Preparation of the President's budget

2-2. The congressional budget process

2-3. Implementation of spending laws

2-4. Budget enforcement

2-5. The government as banker : federal credit reform

2-6. The Federal Unfunded Mandates Reform Act

2-7. Performance-based budgeting

2-8. Budget process reform proposals

2-9. Key budget concepts

III. Spending : how America spends $3 trillion per year

3-1. Defense and intelligence spending : from "peace dividend" in the 1990s to rapid growth since 2000

3-2. Department of Homeland Security

3-3. Veterans benefits

3-4. Social Security : is it stable or facing collapse

3-5. Interest payments, the fourth-largest federal "program"

3-6. Health care : the nation's greatest fiscal challenge

Medicare

Medicaid

Public support of teaching hospitals

State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)

U.S. public health service agencies : Surgeon General and the Commissioned Corps

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Food and Drug Administration

HRSA : community health, HIV/AIDS, MCH, NHSC

Indian Health Service

National Institutes of Health

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Admin

Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority

3-7. Education and children's programs

Head Start

Child care

Child Nutrition and Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)

Child welfare

Elementary and secondary education

No Child Left Behind

Special Education and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

Higher education 3-8. Helping people in need

Earned income tax credit

Supplemental security income for the aged, blind and disabled

The Food Stamp Program

"Welfare, " temporary assistance for needy families (TANF)

Housing assistance

Low-Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP)

Unemployment compensation

3-9. Transportation programs

Federal-aid highway program (highways and bridges)

Public transportation

Financing air traffic control and airport improvements

Amtrak

Transportation safety

3-10. Law enforcement and administration of justice

FBI

DEA, ATF, and U.S. Marshals service

Federal prison system

U.S. attorneys and DOJ legal activities

Justice programs : grants for state and local law enforcement

3-11. Environment, energy, and natural resources

Environmental Protection Agency

Energy programs

Expenditures on basic science, research and development

Natural resources : stewardship of public lands, waterways, and wildlife

3-12. Farm programs

Commodity programs

Conservation programs

Crop insurance and emergency assistance

Agricultural research and education

Marketing and regulatory programs

Farm credit

3-13. International affairs

Economic development aid

Humanitarian aid

Military aid and security assistance

Counter-narcotics and law enforcement

State Department and conduct of foreign affairs

Contributions to the United Nations and other international orgs IV. Revenues : how America raises $3 trillion per year

Overview of the U.S. taxes

Individual income taxes

Alternative minimum tax

Payroll taxes : Social Security and Medicare hospital insurance

Corporate income taxes

Estate and gift taxes

Excise taxes, duties, and misc. receipts

The "tax gap"

How do U.S. taxes compare to other countries?

Tax fairness, reform, and distribution of the tax burden

V. Tax expenditures : spending on the revenue side

Significant tax expenditures

VI. In the wink of an eye : from deficits to surpluses and back to deficits

A brief history of deficits and surpluses

The triple-digit deficits of the 1980s

The budget agreements of the 1990s lead to surpluses

Current decade : exploding deficits lead to massive debt

Causes of the deficit/debt explosion

Top officials agree U.S. is on a dangerous fiscal path

Do deficits matters?

VII. Non-partisan principles to secure our nation's future

Appendices

A. Budget process timetable

B. Budget points of order in the Senate and House

C. Major laws governing the federal budget process

D. Statutory definition of "entitlement"

E. Revenue bills and the origination clause

F. Historical table, budget resolutions

G. Example of budget resolution totals

H. Example of budget reconciliation instruction

I. Example of budget resolution reserve funds

J. Example of budget resolution 302(a) committee allocations

K. Example of appropriations 302(b) sub-allocations

L. Explanation of the Senate's Byrd Rule

M. Historical table, reconciliation bills

N. Historical table, completion of appropriations bills

O. Appropriations, rules governing floor consideration and conference

P. 2004 PART questionnaire

Q. 2007 federal poverty level