Mandatory & Discretionary Spending

Discretionary spending is spending that

• can be adjusted

• is required by law

• must be approved because it has been requested by the President

When a government it spending more money than it is making, it is operating in a...

• deficit

• surplus

• IOU

• interest

Which is considered discretionary spending (select all which may apply)

• national parks

• Medicare

• nuclear energy

• Interest on the debt

• education

Which of the following NOT considered mandatory spending?

• national parks

• Medicare

• medical assistance for low-income families

• Social Security

A plan for how much will be spent on various things is called a

• surplus.

• budget.

• deficit

• securities

This is the top source of revenue for the federal government.

• individual income taxes
• corporate income taxes
• customs duties
• FICA

What is spending that is greater than revenue?

• balanced
• suplus
• deficit

Spending required by law is known as

• discretionary spending

• mandatory spending

• federal spending

• surplus spending

Social Security is the largest portion of which type of spending?

• Mandatory/Entitlements
• Discretionary 

Accumulation of deficits year after year is called

• entitlements

• debt

• mandatory spending

• discretionary spending