What has the U.S. spent fighting Ebola? It seems nobody really knows. One thing we do know: it’s not a lot.

In fiscal year 2014, our nation spent $3.7 trillion on all federal programs and ran a budget deficit. The good news is that budget deficits are no cause for great alarm; they are pretty common. In fact, over the past half century, the U.S. has run a deficit in 45 out of 50 years.

Americans say that ensuring the Social Security system and improving the job situation in our country are two of the most important issues facing Congress and the president in 2014. Here at NPP we have developed a set of Voter’s Guides that break down key federal budget issues like these into easily digestible facts and provide you with important questions for the candidates.

We’ve been hearing the terms “tax reform” and “corporate inversions” from lawmakers and the media all year long. But what does it all mean? Here at NPP we have created a series of Voter’s Guides to break down key federal budget issues and even provide you with questions for the candidates.

As you’re gathering your friends and family around for one last summer barbecue this Labor Day weekend, don’t forget to recognize the day as a time to celebrate workers for their contributions to the strength, well-being, and prosperity of our nation. In honor of Labor Day, here are some fast facts on the American workforce, minimum wage workers, and the unemployed.

As President Obama allowed a trickle of troops back into Iraq, and air strikes are expected to continue for weeks or months, Americans are wary about our role in a conflict most of us think we never should have started in the first place. Polls show that while Americans are divided on new airstrikes in Iraq, most are against sending troops back.

Yesterday the trustees of two key social insurance programs - Social Security and Medicare - released their annual reports projecting the future of the programs’ finances.

Last week, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released its 2014 Long-Term Budget Outlook, projecting that the nation’s fiscal future is stable for the next few years and then begins to worsen gradually with an increase in the federal debt.

The Pentagon’s most expensive weapons system in history, the infamous F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, was recently grounded. 

With Independence Day this week, Americans are celebrating all the things that make our country great. A patriotic mindset begs the question of how our involvement in conflicts overseas – like responding to crisis in Iraq – defines our country’s priorities.