economy
It has been 25 years since the last balanced federal budget
In the 25 years following that balanced budget, the federal government has not come particularly close to balancing its books, even once. Right now, it runs a structural deficit of approximately $2 trillion per year, every single year.

TL;DR
- The federal government has not achieved a balanced budget in the last 25 years.
- The government currently faces a structural deficit of approximately $2 trillion each year.