DoD Inflation: Budgeting and Monitoring Inflation Funding in the Department of Defense
Abstract
DOD includes amounts in its proposed budgets to cover anticipated increases in prices for most appropriation accounts. These amounts, however, are not separately shown in the proposed budgets nor are they separately appropriated. The amounts (except for pay and fuel accounts) are based on projections of the Gross National Product (GNP) implicit price deflator provided by the Office of Management and Budget. For estimates of price changes in fuel purchases, DOD uses estimates of the oil refiners acquisition cost. GAO estimates that since 1982 DOD received about $55 billion more for anticipated inflation than was warranted by the inflation that subsequently occurred. This happened as the country transitioned from very high inflation (1978 through 1981) to declining inflation (1982 to 1986). According to DUD, most of the inflation dividends were cut by congressional action, spent on additional defense programs, or lapsed and returned to the Treasury.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 1988
- Accession Number
- AD1150528
Entities
People
- Frank C. Conahan
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office