[20050427]RS22128_可自由支配支出：前景和历史.pdf

1 Unless otherwise noted, all years referred to in this report are fiscal years. Congressional Research Service? ?The Library of CongressCRS Report for CongressReceived through the CRS WebOrder Code RS22128April 27, 2005Discretionary Spending: Prospects and HistoryPhilip D. WintersAnalyst in Government FinanceGovernment and Finance DivisionSummaryFederal spending has changed, both in size and composition over the last 40 years.Total federal spending is now a larger percentage of the economy (as measured by grossdomestic product GDP) than it was in 1965 (19.8% of GDP vs 17.2% of GDP).Mandatory spending (generally spending that result from laws other than appropriationsacts, such as Social Security and Medicare), has grown substantially, both as apercentage of GDP and as a percentage of total spending to become, today, the largestcomponent of federal spending. Mandatory spending, without significant changes to theprograms composing it, will continue growing as a percentage of GDP and as apercentage of total outlays into the future. Discretionary spending (generally outlays that result from the budget authorityprovided in appropriations acts, such as defense, education, and transporta