U.S. debt limit returns at $18.1 trillion

After a year with no cap on government borrowing the U.S. debt ceiling has come back into force, necessitating a series of accounting moves to keep the government operating without breaching the new limit
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U.S. NATIONAL DEBT, $ trillions*

Debt – Democrats

Debt – Republicans

Debt ceiling

*trillion = 1,000,000,000,000

Mar 17: Debt limit at $18.133 trillion

1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015

2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18

Ronald Reagan 1981-1989 Debt ceiling increase: $1.82 trillion

George H. W. Bush 1989-1993 $1.28 trillion

Bill Clinton 1993-2001 $1.58 trillion

George W. Bush 2001-2009 $5.37 trillion

Jan 2009: Obama takes office, U.S. national debt at $10.6 trillion

Barack Obama 2009-2015 $7.5 trillion

Debt per citizen $56,645

Feb 2014: Debt limit $17.2 trillion. Suspended until Mar 15, 2015
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Sources: U.S. Treasury, wire agencies

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