The U.S. Commerce Department’s Bureau of Economic Analysis released the advance estimate of gross domestic product (GDP) for the second quarter of 2011. The release also contained revisions to prior years.

Real GDP grew 1.3% at an annual rate, below private-sector expectations of 1.8% growth and up from 0.4% growth in the first quarter, which was revised down from 1.9%. The most notable revision was to 2009, where GDP growth was revised down 0.9 percentage points, indicating that the recession was even more severe than initially estimated. GDP has now grown for eight consecutive quarters.

“Today’s first look at GDP in the second quarter confirms what we already knew: The economy isn’t growing as fast as it needs to. And every day that we fail to act to lift the debt ceiling and inch closer to default, we threaten our economic progress and job creation,” U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke said. “Experts have repeatedly warned that if this uncertainty continues, our economy will pay the price. We can’t afford to return to the same failed policies that brought us here. We must build on the progress we’ve made over the last two years and reach a balanced compromise that will reduce our debt and at the same time strengthen our job-creating ability and global competitiveness for the future.”