CBO Scoring Accountability Act

Bill Number

H.R. 2666

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Economics and Public Finance

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-04-07: Referred to the House Committee on the Budget.

Last Updated

2025-06-30T13:41:54Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose of the Legislation

The "CBO Scoring Accountability Act" (H.R. 2666) aims to improve transparency and accountability in how the federal government tracks the long-term fiscal effects of major new laws. It requires the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), a nonpartisan agency that analyzes proposed legislation's costs and revenues, to regularly review and update its estimates for significant laws after they are passed.

Key Provisions

• Annual Analyses for Major Legislation: For the first 10 years after a major law is enacted, the CBO Director must prepare and publicly release at least one analysis per year. This analysis covers:
• Estimated costs and any changes in federal revenues resulting from the law.
• A comparison of these estimates to the CBO's original projections made before the law passed.
• Updates to the cost or revenue estimates if needed.
• Reports on Discrepancies: If the actual costs or revenue changes in the analysis differ from earlier CBO estimates by 10% or more for any part of the law, the CBO must submit a report to Congress explaining why the difference occurred.
• Agency Support: All federal departments, agencies, and commissions must provide the CBO with any reasonable information or help needed to complete these analyses.
• Definition of "Major Legislation": This refers to any bill or joint resolution expected to increase mandatory spending (automatic government expenditures, like entitlements) or federal revenues by at least 0.25% of the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP, the total value of goods and services produced in the country) in the relevant year.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

This bill amends the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 by adding a new Section 407, titled "Supplemental estimates of major legislation." Previously, the CBO provided cost estimates mainly before laws were passed, but there was no formal requirement for ongoing, post-enactment reviews or public comparisons over a 10-year period. It also updates the act's table of contents to include the new section. These changes introduce mandatory, multi-year tracking to assess how well initial projections hold up.

Potential Impacts

• On Government Agencies: The CBO will face increased workload in conducting annual reviews and reports, while other federal agencies must cooperate by sharing data, potentially straining resources but improving inter-agency coordination on fiscal matters.
• On Citizens: Greater public access to updated fiscal analyses could enhance transparency about how major laws affect government spending and taxes over time, helping taxpayers understand the true long-term costs of policies.
• On International Relations: No direct impacts are outlined, as the bill focuses on domestic budgeting processes.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Congressional Budget Office (CBO): Primarily responsible for producing the required analyses and reports.
• Congress: Receives explanations of discrepancies, which could inform future budgeting and oversight decisions.
• Federal Agencies and Departments: Obligated to assist the CBO, affecting their administrative duties.
• Taxpayers and the Public: Benefit from public disclosures that promote accountability in how legislation impacts the federal budget.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal Implications: Strengthens the existing budget process by mandating data-driven follow-ups, without altering core constitutional powers like Congress's authority over spending (under Article I). It could lead to more accurate enforcement of fiscal laws but might require clarification on what constitutes "reasonable" agency assistance to avoid disputes.
• Constitutional Implications: Aligns with Congress's role in managing the federal budget; no apparent conflicts with separation of powers, as it enhances an independent agency's advisory function without encroaching on executive implementation.
• Political Implications: Encourages lawmakers to consider long-term fiscal outcomes more seriously, potentially reducing surprises in budget deficits or surpluses. It promotes bipartisan accountability in "scoring" (estimating costs) of legislation, which could influence debates on major spending or tax bills, but implementation depends on CBO's resources and definitions of discrepancies.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Barr, Andy [R-KY-6]

Cosponsors (22)

Rep. Wagner, Ann [R-MO-2], Rep. Nehls, Troy E. [R-TX-22], Rep. Evans, Gabe [R-CO-8], Rep. Latta, Robert E. [R-OH-5], Rep. Edwards, Chuck [R-NC-11], Rep. Tenney, Claudia [R-NY-24], Rep. Rose, John W. [R-TN-6], Rep. McGuire, John [R-VA-5], Rep. Rutherford, John H. [R-FL-5], Rep. Miller, Mary E. [R-IL-15], Rep. Mills, Cory [R-FL-7], Rep. Hurd, Jeff [R-CO-3], Rep. Van Orden, Derrick [R-WI-3], Rep. Westerman, Bruce [R-AR-4], Rep. McCormick, Richard [R-GA-7], Rep. Issa, Darrell [R-CA-48], Rep. Ogles, Andrew [R-TN-5], Rep. Collins, Mike [R-GA-10], Rep. Cline, Ben [R-VA-6], Rep. Knott, Brad [R-NC-13], Rep. Finstad, Brad [R-MN-1], Rep. Schmidt, Derek [R-KS-2]

Recent Actions

• 2025-04-07: Referred to the House Committee on the Budget.
• 2025-04-07: Introduced in House
• 2025-04-07: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• CBO Scoring Accountability Act — issued 2025-04-07 — PDF (4 pages)