US budget deficit hits $2.77 trillion

The only time the US deficit has been higher was in 2020, when it reached $3.13 trillion. The Congressional Budget Office expects the deficit to fall to $1.15 trillion in the current budget year.

By

National News

October 22, 2021 - 3:58 PM

Photo by Pixabay.com

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. budget deficit totaled $2.77 trillion for 2021, the second highest on record but an improvement from the all-time high of $3.13 trillion reached in 2020. The deficits in both years reflect trillions of dollars in government spending to counteract the devastating effects of a global pandemic.

The Biden administration said Friday that the 2021 deficit, for the budget year that ended Sept. 30 was $360 billion lower than 2020 as a recovering economy boosted revenues, helping to offset government spending from pandemic relief efforts.

Before the deficit ballooned during two years of a global pandemic, the highest the biggest deficit had been a shortfall of $1.4 trillion in 2009 as the U.S. spent heavily to lift the country out of a severe recession following the 2008 financial crisis.

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