The U.S. budget deficit was $37 billion in March, the Treasury Department reported Thursday. That is a decrease of $70 billion, or 65%, from the shortfall posted in March 2013. Receipts increased 16% in the month, to $216 billion, while spending dropped 14% to $253 billion. For the first six months of the 2014 fiscal year, the deficit has fallen 31% mostly thanks to receipts, which are up 10% compared to the same period a year ago. Spending has fallen 4%.