The U.S. government’s outstanding debt has climbed past $37 trillion for the first time, according to Treasury data released on 9 August. The new record underscores the speed at which Washington is borrowing even after strong pandemic-era spending and a recent economic rebound. The total is roughly $780 billion higher than it was on 4 July, when Congress raised the debt ceiling through the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act." That jump implies an average increase of about $22 billion every day over the past five weeks. The latest milestone extends a long-running upward trajectory: federal debt stood at $18.1 trillion in 2015, $7.9 trillion in 2005 and $4.9 trillion in 1995. Economists warn that the growing debt load will elevate interest expenses and limit fiscal flexibility as the Federal Reserve continues to navigate high inflation and volatile Treasury markets.