Unemployment Relief Under Roosevelt

Report Outline
Relief Expendtures and the Federal Budget Deficit
Origin and Basic Provisions of 1935 Relief Program
Progress Toward Execution of Roosevelt's Work Plan
Unemployment Relief Problem Today and in the Future
Special Focus

Relief Expendtures and the Federal Budget Deficit

In his message to congress on January 7, 1935, submitting the federal budget for the fiscal year 1936, President Roosevelt pointed out that the estimates for that year indicated that receipts would balance all expenditures except those made for the purpose of giving work to the unemployed.

If this budget receives the approval of the Congress [he said], the country will henceforth have the assurance that, with the single exception of this item, every current expenditure of whatever nature will be fully covered by our estimates of current receipts. Such deficit, as occurs will be due solely to this cause, and it may be expected to decline as rapidly as private industry is able to re-employ those who now are without work.

The budget estimated a net deficit of $3,892,000,000 and a gross deficit (including debt retirements) of $4,528,000,000. Recovery and relief expenditures for the fiscal year were estimated at $4,012,000,000, and regular expenditures at $3,302,000,000.