Federal Domestic Spending Increases 9.3 Percent in FY ’08
" The federal government obligated nearly $2.79 trillion in domestic spending for fiscal year 2008, up 9.3 percent from 2007, according to a report released today by the U.S. Census Bureau. That’s equivalent to a total of $9,184 per person living in the United States. Entitlement programs Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security comprised 48 percent of all federal spending, accounting for $1.35 trillion. Of that amount, $659 billion went to Social Security. The one-year increase in spending for these three programs was approximately $359 for every person in the United States.

Federal per capita spending was highest for Virginia ($15,256), Maryland ($13,829) and Alaska ($13,730). States that had the lowest federal per capita spending were Utah ($6,255), Nevada ($6,638) and Wisconsin ($7,132).

Published annually since 1983, these statistics are presented in two publications — Consolidated Federal Funds Report: 2008, which describes the distribution of federal funds by department and agency, and by state and county — and Federal Aid to States: 2008, which shows federal grants to state and local governments. These reports do not include interest paid on the federal debt and foreign aid. Additionally, because the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was passed by Congress in 2009, monetary obligations from that legislation are also not included in these reports..."