WASHINGTON—The federal government ran a $284 billion budget deficit in the first month of the fiscal year, more than double the monthly shortfall a year ago, the Treasury Department said Thursday.
The U.S. budget gap rose 111% in October, due to higher federal spending last month on health-care and safety-net programs, and lower federal tax collection, according to monthly Treasury data. Government outlays rose 37% to $522 billion, while revenue declined 3.2% to $238 billion.
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