Opinion

Congress spends $7 trillion. Here’s how that math works out if you think of just $100

Congressional Budget Office projects net interest costs could reach about $2.1 trillion annually by 2036

By Ted Jenkin Fox News

Published September 8, 2026 9:00am EDT

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House Majority Whip Tom Emmer lays out GOP priorities as national debt surpasses $40 trillion

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer joins 'Sunday Morning Futures' to discuss the GOP's legislative priorities, the SAVE America Act and the national debt surpassing $40 trillion ahead of the upcoming midterm elections.

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You work. You get paid. Washington takes its cut. But have you ever stopped to ask one simple question: Where does the money actually go?

Forget trillion-dollar numbers for a minute. Most Americans can't comprehend the difference between $1 trillion and $7 trillion anyway. Let's shrink Washington down to something we all understand: a $100 bill.

In fiscal year 2025, the federal government spent roughly $7 trillion. Social Security alone consumed about $1.6 trillion. Major federal health programs, including Medicare and Medicaid, were another enormous piece. Defense approached $900 billion.

WASHINGTON IS DRIVING AMERICA TOWARD A DEBT CRISIS WE CAN'T IGNORE ANY LONGER

And then there's the number that should make every taxpayer spit out their morning coffee: interest.

Congressional overspending is only........

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