The public increasingly views the federal budget deficit as a major problem the country must address now. But fewer predict the country will achieve significant progress in reducing the deficit in five years than did so in December.

A new survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press and The Washington Post, conducted April 21-25 among 1,001 adults, finds that 31% say we will have achieved significant progress on the deficit in the next five years or so, down from 37% in December. Fully 81% see the deficit as a major problem that must be addressed now – rather than one that can be addressed when the economy improves – up from 70% late last year.