61.   Most of that money is to be used to retire outstanding federal debt.

62.   Money in those funds is held in the form of Treasury securities, which count against the federal debt limit.

63.   Money invested in those funds in Treasury securities, which count against the federal debt limit, can be converted into cash through a simple bookkeeping entry.

64.   Now there is no question that federal debt increases borrowing costs for others.

65.   Opponents said senior citizens would be hurt by the Medicare provisions, adding that the tax credit would increase the federal debt.

66.   Others, however, have turned their attention to an effort to attach a smaller package of short-term cuts to legislation raising and extending the federal debt ceiling.

67.   Polls show most voters would rather use any surplus for Social Security, Medicare, education or reducing the federal debt.

68.   President Clinton has proposed using a portion of the federal surplus to reduce the federal debt and credit that reduction toward the Social Security trust fund.

69.   Politicians are nearly unanimous that this money should be used to pay off the federal debt.

70.   Q. With all the talk about a federal surplus, what is happening to the federal debt?