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The Lowdown | How Big Is the Federal Budget and What Does It All Pay For? Lesson Plan

The federal budgeting process has begun. The annual event has become a bitter showdown in recent decades, and this year promises to be no different following President Trump’s address to Congress on March 1. High on the administration’s budget priority list: increased military spending and cuts to other government agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency and the State Department. Despite partisan wrangling, the steps to passing a federal budget are clearly defined. This lesson explores the process and invites students to reflect on what their own federal budget priorities would be.