Glossary
With References to Applicable Sections and Tables
Source: Bureau of the Fiscal Service
Amounts outstanding and in circulation (USCC)—Includes all issues by the Bureau of the Mint purposely intended as a medium of exchange. Coins sold by the Bureau of the Mint at premium prices are excluded; however, uncirculated coin sets sold at face value plus handling charge are included.
Average discount rate (PDO-1, -2)—In Treasury bill auctions, purchasers tender competitive bids on a discount rate basis. The average discount rate is the weighted, or adjusted, average of all bids accepted in the auction.
Budget authority (“Federal Fiscal Operations”)—Congress passes laws giving budget authority to Government entities, which gives the agencies the power to spend Federal funds. Congress can stipulate various criteria for the spending of these funds. For example, Congress can stipulate that a given agency must spend within a specific year, number of years, or any time in the future.
The basic forms of budget authority are appropriations, authority to borrow, contract authority, and authority to obligate and expend offsetting receipts and collections. The period of time during which Congress makes funds available may be specified as 1-year, multiple-year, or no-year. The available amount may be classified as either definite or indefinite; a specific amount or an unspecified amount can be made available. Authority also may be classified as current or permanent. Permanent authority requires no current action by Congress.
Budget deficit—The total, cumulative amount by which budget outlays (spending) exceed budget receipts (income).
Cash management bills (PDO-1)—Marketable Treasury bills of irregular maturity lengths, sold periodically to fund short-term cash needs of Treasury. Their sale, having higher minimum and multiple purchase requirements than those of other issues, is generally restricted to competitive bidders.
Competitive tenders (“Treasury Financing Operations”)—A bid to purchase a stated amount of one issue of Treasury securities at a specified yield or discount. The bid is accepted if it is within the range accepted in the auction. (See Noncompetitive tenders.)
Currency no longer issued (USCC)—Old and new series gold and silver certificates, Federal Reserve notes, national bank notes, and 1890 Series Treasury notes.
Debt outstanding subject to limitation (FD-6)—The debt incurred by the Treasury subject to the statutory limit set by Congress. Until World War I, a specific amount of debt was authorized to each separate security issue. Beginning with the Second Liberty Loan Act of 1917, the nature of the limitation was modified until, in 1941, it developed into an overall limit on the outstanding Federal debt.
Pursuant to 31 U.S.C. 3101(b). By the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 and Bipartisan Budget Act, 2018, Public Law 115-119, the Statutory Debt Limit was suspended through March 1, 2019.
Discount—The interest deducted in advance when purchasing notes or bonds. (See Accrued discount.)
Discount rate (PDO-1)—The difference between par value and the actual purchase price paid, annualized over a 360-day year. Because this rate is less than the actual yield (coupon-equivalent rate), the yield should be used in any comparison with coupon issue securities.
Dollar coins (USCC)—Include standard silver and nonsilver coins.
Domestic series (FD-2)—Nonmarketable, interest- and non- interest-bearing securities issued periodically by Treasury to the Resolution Funding Corporation (RFC) for investment of funds authorized under section 21B of the Federal Home Loan Bank Act (12 United States Code 1441b).
Federal intrafund transactions (“Federal Fiscal Opera-tions”)—Intrabudgetary transactions in which payments and receipts both occur within the same Federal fund group (Federal funds or trust funds).
Federal Reserve notes (USCC)—Issues by the U.S. Government to the public through the Federal Reserve banks and their member banks. They represent money owed by the Government to the public. Currently, the item “Federal Reserve notes—amounts outstanding” consists of new series issues. The Federal Reserve note is the only class of currency currently issued.
Foreign-targeted issue (PDO-2)—Foreign-targeted issues were notes sold between October 1984 and February 1986 to foreign institutions, foreign branches of U.S. institutions, foreign central banks or monetary authorities, or to international organizations in which the United States held membership. Sold as companion issues, they could be converted to domestic (normal) Treasury notes with the same maturity and interest rates. Interest was paid annually.
Government account series (FD-2)—Certain trust fund statutes require the Secretary of the Treasury to apply monies held by these funds toward the issuance of nonmarketable special securities. These securities are sold directly by Treasury to a specific Government agency, trust fund, or account. Their rate is based on an average of market yields on outstanding Treasury obligations, and they may be redeemed at the option of the holder. Roughly 80 percent of these are issued to five holders: the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund; the civil service retirement and disability fund; the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund; the military retirement fund; and the Unemployment Trust Fund.
Interfund transactions (“Federal Fiscal Operations”)—Transactions in which payments are made from one fund group (either Federal funds or trust funds) to a receipt account in another group.
International Monetary Fund transactions (“Exchange Stabilization Fund”, ESF-1)—(IMF) Established by the United Nations, the IMF promotes international trade, stability of exchange, and monetary cooperation. Members are allowed to draw from the fund.
Intrabudgetary transactions (“Federal Fiscal Operations”)—These occur when payment and receipt both occur within the budget, or when payment is made from off-budget Federal entities whose budget authority and outlays are excluded from the budget totals.
Noncompetitive tenders (“Treasury Financing Opera-tions”)—This is a tender or bid to purchase a stated par amount of securities at the highest yield or discount rate awarded to competitive bidders for a single-price auction.
Obligations (“Federal Fiscal Operations”)—An unpaid commitment to acquire goods or services.
Off-budget Federal entities (“Federal Fiscal Operations”)—Federally owned and controlled entities whose transactions are excluded from the budget totals under provisions of law. Their receipts, outlays, and surplus or deficit are not included in budget receipts, outlays, or deficits. Their budget authority is not included in totals of the budget.
Outlays (“Federal Fiscal Operations”)—Payments on obligations in the form of cash, checks, the issuance of bonds or notes, or the maturing of interest coupons.
Par value—The face value of bonds or notes, including interest.
Quarterly financing (“Treasury Financing Operations”)—Treasury has historically offered packages of several “coupon” security issues on the 15th of February, May, August, and November, or on the next working day. These issues currently consist of a 3-year note, a 10-year note, and a 30-year bond. Treasury sometimes offers additional amounts of outstanding long-term notes or bonds, rather than selling new security issues. (See Reopening.)
Fractional coins (USCC)—Coins minted in denominations of 50, 25, and 10 cents, and minor coins (5 cents and 1 cent).
Receipts (“Federal Fiscal Operations”)—Funds collected from selling land, capital, or services, as well as collections from the public (budget receipts), such as taxes, fines, duties, and fees.
Reopening (PDO-2)—The offer for sale of additional amounts of outstanding issues, rather than an entirely new issue. A reopened issue will always have the same maturity date, CUSIP-number, and interest rate as the original issue.
Special drawing rights (“Exchange Stabilization Fund,” ESF-1)—International assets created by IMF that serve to increase international liquidity and provide additional international reserves. SDRs may be purchased and sold among eligible holders through IMF. (See IMF.)
SDR allocations are the counterpart to SDRs issued by IMF based on members’ quotas in IMF. Although shown in Exchange Stabilization Fund (ESF) statements as liabilities, they must be redeemed by ESF only in the event of liquidation of, or U.S. withdrawal from, the SDR department of IMF or cancellation of SDRs.
SDR certificates are issued to the Federal Reserve System against SDRs when SDRs are legalized as money. Proceeds of monetization are deposited into an ESF account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
Spot (“Foreign Currency Positions”)—Due for receipt or delivery within 2 workdays.
State and local government series (SLGS) (FD-2)—Special nonmarketable certificates, notes, and bonds offered to State and local governments as a means to invest proceeds from their own tax-exempt financing. Interest rates and maturities comply with IRS arbitrage provisions. SLGS are offered in both time deposit and demand deposit forms. Time deposit certificates have maturities of up to 1 year. Notes mature in 1 to 10 years and bonds mature in more than 10 years. Demand deposit securities are 1-day certificates rolled over with a rate adjustment daily.
Statutory debt limit (FD-6)—By Act of Congress there is a limit, either temporary or permanent, on the amount of public debt that may be outstanding. When this limit is reached, Treasury may not sell new debt issues until Congress increases or extends the limit. For a detailed listing of changes in the limit since 1941, see the Budget of the United States Government. (See debt outstanding subject to limitation.)
STRIPS (PDO-2)—Separate Trading of Registered Interest and Principal Securities. Long-term notes and bonds may be divided into principal and interest-paying components, which may be transferred and sold in amounts as small as $1,000. STRIPS are sold at auction at a minimum par amount, varying for each issue. The amount is an arithmetic function of the issue’s interest rate.
Treasury bills—The shortest term Federal security (maturity dates normally varying from 3 to 12 months), are sold at a discount.
Trust fund transaction (“Federal Fiscal Operations”)—An intrabudgetary transaction in which both payments and receipts occur within the same trust fund group.
United States—Includes the 50 States, District of Columbia, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Midway Island, Virgin Islands, Wake Island, and all other territories and possessions.
U.S. notes (USCC)—Legal tender notes of five different issues: 1862 ($5-$1,000 notes); 1862 ($1-$2 notes); 1863 ($5-$1,000 notes); 1863 ($1-$10,000 notes); and 1901 ($10 notes).
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