For the fiscal year of 2025, mandatory government spending is predicted to sum up to about 4.37 trillion U.S. dollars. It consists primarily of benefit programs such as: social security, Medicare, Medicaid, as well as other programs. Discretionary spending consists of spending controlled by lawmakers through annual appropriation acts. In FY 2025 it is proposed at 1.93 trillion U.S. dollars, and is divided into defense and nondefense spending. Spending for net interest is also listed, which consists of the government's interest payments on debt held by the public, offset by interest income the government receives.
Proposed budget of the United States government for fiscal years 2023 to 2025, by activity and program
(in billion U.S. dollars)
Characteristic
2023
2024
2025
Social security (Mandatory)
1,348
1,452
1,543
Nondefense (Discretionary)
912
1,001
1,029
Medicare (Mandatory)
839
839
936
Defense (Discretionary)
806
884
900
Medicaid (Mandatory)
616
567
589
Net interest
658
889
965
Other (Mandatory)
955
1,310
1,303
Created with Highcharts 7.2.2Spending in billion U.S. dollars202320242025Social security (Mandatory)Nondefense (Discretionary)Medicare (Mandatory)Defense (Discretionary)Medicaid (Mandatory)Net interestOther (Mandatory)
02505007501,0001,2501,5001,750
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* Other mandatory expenses are: unemployment compensation, federal civilian and military retirement, veterans' benefits, the earned income tax credit, food stamps, and other programs. ** Nondefense programs are programs related to health, income security, education, veterans' benefits, transportation, and other activities.
The fiscal year is the accounting period for the federal government which begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends.
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whitehouse.gov. (March 9, 2024). Proposed budget of the United States government for fiscal years 2023 to 2025, by activity and program (in billion U.S. dollars) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved February 21, 2025, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/216925/us-government-spending-by-program-and-activity/
whitehouse.gov. "Proposed budget of the United States government for fiscal years 2023 to 2025, by activity and program (in billion U.S. dollars)." Chart. March 9, 2024. Statista. Accessed February 21, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/216925/us-government-spending-by-program-and-activity/
whitehouse.gov. (2024). Proposed budget of the United States government for fiscal years 2023 to 2025, by activity and program (in billion U.S. dollars). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: February 21, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/216925/us-government-spending-by-program-and-activity/
whitehouse.gov. "Proposed Budget of The United States Government for Fiscal Years 2023 to 2025, by Activity and Program (in Billion U.S. Dollars)." Statista, Statista Inc., 9 Mar 2024, https://www.statista.com/statistics/216925/us-government-spending-by-program-and-activity/
whitehouse.gov, Proposed budget of the United States government for fiscal years 2023 to 2025, by activity and program (in billion U.S. dollars) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/216925/us-government-spending-by-program-and-activity/ (last visited February 21, 2025)
Proposed budget of the United States government for fiscal years 2023 to 2025, by activity and program (in billion U.S. dollars) [Graph], whitehouse.gov, March 9, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/216925/us-government-spending-by-program-and-activity/
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