[U.S. Congressional Budget Office: U.S. Government Deficit to Increase by Over $1 Trillion in the Next Decade] Philip Swagel, Director of the U.S. Congressional Budget Office, stated on the 27th that the federal government budget deficit will increase by approximately $1.1 trillion over the next decade. He noted that the current Middle East conflict has caused energy prices to surge, rendering the U.S. government's efforts to stimulate the economy through tax cuts "futile." (Xinhua News Agency)