With President Obama’s debt commission failing to pass its blueprint for debt reduction, some — especially those asking President Obama to raise their taxes — might like to know that the Treasury Department makes it easy for Americans to give more of their hard-earned money to the government.
The Bureau of Public Debt has been accepting gifts for the express purpose of reducing the public debt since 1961.
In 2009 the bureau collected $3,063,057 in donations; in 2008 it collected $2,189,358. So far this year, the bureau has collected $2,840,466, a sum that will make hardly a dent in the more than $13 trillion the U.S. government has amassed in debt.
Mckayla Braden, senior adviser for public affairs at the Bureau of Public Debt, told The Daily Caller that there is no stereotypical donor. Many contributions come from individuals and estates, others come from groups such as community associations and school classes learning about the debt.
“It is all variety of people,” Braden said. “There are some people who give regularly small amounts, there are some people who will give larger amounts … And we deposit the funds and it goes to paying down the country’s debt.”
Those wanting to donate have two options: They can donate online at pay.gov, or send a check in the mail. The Treasury instructs checks be made “payable to the Bureau of the Public Debt, and in the memo section, notate that it’s a Gift to reduce the Debt Held by the Public.” Mail your check to:
Attn Dept G
Bureau of the Public Debt
P. O. Box 2188
Parkersburg, WV 26106-2188
“It’s there for an opportunity if people feel like they need to give a little bit more or give a little bit more to their country. It is just a nice way to support the government if that is what they want to do,” Braden said.
She stressed that the Treasury does not advertise the program — rather it is there as an option for those who seek it.
“Nobody is out there pushing it, asking for it in any way. It is just totally voluntary.”
The Bureau of Public Debt website notes that the contributions have been reported in the footnotes of the Monthly Statement of the Public Debt since 1988.