Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke delivered a speech about the U.S. economy today at the Washington Press Club to a gathering of the media’s top financial press. In it he specifically said:

“Even after economic and financial conditions have returned to normal, the federal budget will remain on an unsustainable path, with the budget gap becoming increasingly large over time, unless the Congress enacts significant changes in fiscal programs,” Bernanke said.

“The two most important driving forces for the federal budget are the aging of the U.S. population and rapidly rising health-care costs.” Bernanke said.