|
|
Article: Entitlements Consume More Federal Spending
- Article from:
- AP Online
- Article date:
- December 28, 2005
- Author:
CopyrightThis material is published under license from the Associated Press. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Associated Press. (Hide copyright information)
|
STEPHEN OHLEMACHER, Associated Press Writer
AP Online
12-28-2005
Dateline: WASHINGTON
Three growing entitlement programs consumed nearly half of all federal spending in 2004, and budget analysts expect them to make up an even bigger share in the future.
Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid accounted for more than $1 trillion in the 2004 budget year, according to the Consolidated Federal Funds Report being released Tuesday by the Census Bureau.
Overall federal spending was $2.2 trillion, an increase of 5 percent from 2003.
"The total federal spending increase is actually down a bit from recent years," said Gerard Keffer, chief of the Census Bureau's federal programs branch. "It had been ...