Question

Which of the following would not fall under

"mandatory spending?"
Interest on the national debt
Social Security
National Defense
Medicare/Medicaid

Answer 1

The term "mandatory spending" refers to government spending that is required by law and not subject to the annual budgeting process. Out of the options given, the one that would not fall under mandatory spending is interest on the national debt.

1. Interest on the national debt: This refers to the amount of money that the government pays in interest on loans and bonds it has issued to fund previous deficits. While interest on the national debt is an important expenditure, it is not considered mandatory spending because it is not required by law. Instead, it falls under the category of "interest payments" in the federal budget.

Step-by-step explanation: