
The term CBO can refer to the Congressional Budget Office, a federal agency within the legislative branch of the United States government. The CBO was established by the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to provide objective, nonpartisan information to support the Congressional budget process. The CBO provides budget and economic information to Congress, including annual reports and cost estimates for proposed legislation. The CBO has been criticised by politicians for its estimates, but economists and academics generally reject claims of partisan bias and consider the CBO's forecasts to be credible.
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What You'll Learn
- The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) is a nonpartisan federal agency
- CBO provides budget and economic information to Congress
- CBO submits periodic reports about fiscal policy to the House and Senate budget committees
- CBO's work includes projections of the federal budget and analysis of the President's Budgetary Proposals
- CBO's estimates have been criticised by politicians but economists reject claims of partisan bias

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) is a nonpartisan federal agency
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) is a federal agency within the legislative branch of the United States government. It was established in 1974 by the Congressional Budget Act (also known as the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act) to provide Congress with objective, nonpartisan information and analysis on budgetary and economic issues. The CBO's primary function is to support the Congressional budget process and help Congress make effective budget and economic policy decisions. It offers an alternative perspective to the Office of Management and Budget and other executive branch agencies.
The CBO is led by a Director, who is jointly appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate, with input from the two budget committees. The Director serves a four-year term and can be removed by either house of Congress through a resolution. The agency is divided into nine divisions and works for all Congressional committees, with its chief responsibility being assistance to the Budget Committees. It also prioritises the House and Senate Appropriations, House Ways and Means, and Senate Finance Committees.
The CBO's staff includes economists, budget analysts, demographers, and engineers, who produce hundreds of cost estimates and dozens of reports annually. They utilise complex computer models, such as microsimulation and macroeconomic models, to make projections and inform their analyses. The CBO's analyses and reports cover a range of topics and are distributed to Federal Depository Libraries, with some available for purchase from the Government Publishing Office. The agency also provides technical assistance and responds to queries from Congressional committees and members of Congress.
While the CBO has been criticised by politicians from both major parties when its estimates are politically inconvenient, economists and academics generally reject claims of partisan bias. They argue that the CBO has a track record of issuing credible and impartial forecasts for both Democratic and Republican legislative proposals. The CBO's nonpartisan culture and objectivity are recognised and valued by experts, even in the context of a partisan Congress.
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CBO provides budget and economic information to Congress
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) is a federal agency within the legislative branch of the United States government. It was established by the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (the Budget Act) to provide Congress with objective, nonpartisan information to support the Congressional budget process and to help Congress make effective budget and economic policy. The CBO is required by law to disclose the basis for each of its cost estimates, and it follows the same practice for its reports. The agency's cost estimates for legislation take that legislation as it is written and do not reflect any possible future modifications. CBO's analysts assess the extent to which proposed policies would affect people's behaviour, which would, in turn, affect federal revenues or spending. These effects are routinely reflected in the agency's cost estimates and reports.
The CBO's work follows processes specified in the Budget Act or developed by the agency in conjunction with the House and Senate Budget Committees and the Congressional leadership. Most of the processes that guide the CBO's work have been in place since the 1970s. The CBO often provides testimony in response to requests from various Congressional committees and issues letters responding to queries made by members of Congress. The agency also works closely with the leadership of both chambers of Congress.
The CBO is divided into nine divisions and is led by a director who is appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate, after considering recommendations from the two budget committees. The term of office for the director is four years, with no limit on the number of terms the director may serve. However, either house of Congress may remove the director by resolution.
The CBO provides budget and economic information to Congress through various means, including reports, cost estimates, and letters. It offers an alternative perspective to the information provided by the executive branch, such as the Office of Management and Budget. The CBO's goal is to help Congress play a stronger role in budget matters and make informed decisions on budgetary and economic issues.
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CBO submits periodic reports about fiscal policy to the House and Senate budget committees
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) is a federal agency within the legislative branch of the United States government. It was established by the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (the Budget Act) to provide objective, nonpartisan information to support the Congressional budget process and to help Congress make effective budget and economic policy. The CBO was modelled after California's Legislative Analyst's Office, which manages the state budget in a strictly nonpartisan fashion.
Section 202(e) of the Budget Act requires the CBO to submit periodic reports about fiscal policy to the House and Senate budget committees. These reports provide baseline projections of the federal budget and are designed to aid the Congressional budget process. The CBO's chief responsibility is to help the Budget Committees with matters under their jurisdiction. The agency also works closely with the leadership of both chambers.
The CBO's periodic reports include an annual Economic and Budget Outlook, plus a mid-year update. In addition, the CBO releases an Analysis of the President's Budgetary Proposals for the upcoming fiscal year, per a standing request from the Senate Committee on Appropriations. These reports are designated as essential titles and are distributed to Federal Depository Libraries. They are also available for purchase from the Government Publishing Office.
The CBO is known for its "honest numbers" and nonpartisan analysis of budgetary and economic issues. It provides an alternative to the information offered by the Office of Management and Budget and other agencies in the executive branch. The agency's reports and cost estimates do not include policy recommendations. Instead, the CBO focuses on providing objective and impartial analysis, hiring employees based on professional competence rather than political affiliation.
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CBO's work includes projections of the federal budget and analysis of the President's Budgetary Proposals
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) is a US federal agency that was established by the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. It provides the Congress with objective, nonpartisan information to support the Congressional budget-making process and help lawmakers make effective budget and economic policy.
For instance, the CBO's analysis of the President's 2025 budget proposal included estimates of the effects of extending Medicaid and CHIP coverage for children over the next 10 years. The CBO found that the proposal would result in a $2.6 trillion smaller cumulative deficit for the 2023-2032 period due to higher revenues and lower spending.
The CBO's baseline budget and economic projections are based on the assumption that current laws governing federal revenues and spending will remain unchanged. These projections reflect the CBO's best judgment about how the economy and budget will evolve and serve as a neutral benchmark for Congress to measure the impact of proposed legislation. The CBO's economic forecasts cover major economic variables such as GDP, unemployment, inflation, and interest rates.
The CBO's regular budget publications include semi-annual reports on the budget and economic outlook, annual reports on the President's budget, and biannual sets of options for reducing budget deficits. The CBO also prepares cost estimates and mandate statements for bills reported by Congressional committees, offering in-depth analysis of specific budgetary issues.
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CBO's estimates have been criticised by politicians but economists reject claims of partisan bias
In electrical terms, CBO is an acronym for Central Boycott Office, an agency facilitating the Arab League boycott of Israel. However, in the context of politics and economics, CBO is an initialism for the Congressional Budget Office, a US federal agency responsible for government budget calculations and analyses.
The Congressional Budget Office was established by the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to provide objective, nonpartisan information to support the Congressional budget process and help Congress make effective budget and economic policy. The CBO's creation was a result of the conflict between President Richard Nixon and a Democratic-controlled Congress. The agency offers an alternative to the information provided by the Office of Management and Budget and other agencies in the executive branch.
Despite the CBO's stated nonpartisan nature, its estimates have been criticised by politicians on both sides when they are deemed politically inconvenient. However, economists and other academics overwhelmingly reject claims of partisan bias within the CBO. They argue that the CBO has historically issued credible forecasts of the effects of legislative proposals from both Democratic and Republican parties.
For instance, a March 2017 survey of leading economists concluded that the CBO has a good track record in a challenging role, and any errors are not systematic or driven by partisan intent. According to Yale economist Christopher Udry, "There is no credible evidence of partisan bias." Similarly, MIT economist David Autor stated that the CBO "errs, but not systematically or with partisan intent." Economist Walter E. Williams, a classical liberal, praised the CBO in 1998 for its "honest numbers" on fiscal and economic matters.
The Los Angeles Times also supports the CBO's nonpartisan nature, stating that its analyses and forecasts are regarded as good or better than those of similar organisations. According to George Washington University political scientist Sarah Binder, the CBO has emerged as a neutral analyst of congressional budgets and cost estimates for proposed legislation.
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Frequently asked questions
CBO stands for Combined Bomber Offensive, an Anglo-American offensive of strategic bombing during World War II in Europe.
The CBO provides budget and economic information to the US Congress. This includes tax credits for investment in wind and solar electric power.
The CBO provides independent, non-partisan analysis and forecasting to Congress, which can influence policy-making.
The CBO has a non-partisan staff culture and is regarded as a neutral analyst of congressional budgets and cost estimates. Its forecasts are credible and compare favourably with other projections.










































