Glossary
Budget Function
As the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Bureau of the Fiscal Service defines it, in the words of its USAspending glossary.
Definition
The federal budget is divided into approximately 20 categories, known as budget functions. These categories organize federal spending into topics based on the major purpose the spending serves (e.g., National Defense, Transportation, Health).
These are further broken down into budget sub functions.
On this site
The site ranks 18 budget functions for fiscal year 2025; first by net outlays is Social Security, at $1.6 trillion. See the figures →
Every term: the glossary. The hub: Federal spending.
Sources
- USAspending glossary — U.S. Department of the Treasury, Bureau of the Fiscal Service · retrieved September 26, 2026
Compiled automatically from USAspending glossary by a checked SQL query · Editor: Kian O'Connor · How this site is built
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