FY 2010 Discretionary Budget:
The FY 2010 Federal Budget proposed an 7% increase in discretionary spending to $1.37 trillion. This was due to a 13% increase in non-Security spending to $695 billion. This increase did not include the Economic Stimulus Bill funds, which had been moved to the Mandatory Budget.(Source: OMB, Fiscal Year 2010, Table S-4)
The total Security budget increased 1% to $673 billion. This included $130 billion for overseas contingency operations, which meant increased troops in Afghanistan and a slow wind-down in Iraq. (Source: OMB, Defense Department,"Defense Department Budget")
FY 2010 Actual Spending:
This information is from the OMB's FY 2012 budget, which shows how much was actually spent in FY 2010. Discretionary spending was just under budget, at $1.306 billion. Non-security spending was about $200 billion lower than budgeted, at $491 billion. Here's a breakdown of the largest agencies:
- Health and Human Services - $84.4 billion.
- Education - $64.3 billion.
- Housing and Urban Development - $42.8 billion.
- Justice - $27.6 billion.
- Agriculture - $25.1 billion.
- NASA - $18.7 billion.
How Did the Discretionary Budget Affect the Economy?:
In FY 2009 and FY 2010, the stimulus package increased spending in transportation, housing and human services. Many of these government programs had originally been created as part of the New Deal to provide a safety net for those who had been demolished by the Great Depression of 1929. The 2010 budget was a return to Depression economics. The increase in spending was designed to restore the economy to a healthy 3.2% growth rate by 2011.
