Metro Lex News

Congressman Andy Barr has proposed a new bill, the CBO Scoring Accountability Act, seeking to improve accountability in budget predictions by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). The legislation aims to amend the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 and will require CBO to provide annual analyses of major legislation after it is enacted, extending these assessments over a period of ten years.

According to the proposed bill, CBO would deliver updated cost estimates and revenue projections with explanations for any major discrepancies from initial forecasts. A mandatory explanation would be required whenever actual expenses exceed previous estimates by at least ten percent.

“Washington’s budget process is broken, and part of the problem is that there’s no accountability when reality doesn’t match the promises made to get legislation passed,” stated Congressman Barr. He emphasized that the legislation would assist in shedding light on the long-term fiscal impact of significant laws: “This bill shines a light on the long-term fiscal impact of major laws and gives Congress the tools to improve future policymaking based on actual data, not just rosy forecasts.”

Prominent voices have expressed support for the bill. Ryan Walker, Executive Vice President of Heritage Action for America, commented, “For too long, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) provided policymakers with inaccurate projections on the cost of federal legislation. These flawed estimates have led to unchecked spending and fiscal instability. American taxpayers deserve transparency, with reliable estimates, and a system in place to correct the errors when they occur."

Kurt Couchman, a Senior Fellow in Fiscal Policy at Americans for Prosperity, remarked, "Rep. Barr’s CBO Scoring Accountability Act would have CBO track the results of major legislation as it is implemented." Furthermore, Grover Norquest, President of Americans for Tax Reform, provided examples of past CBO estimate inaccuracies, arguing that accurate tracking is necessary: "They should have to tell us how wrong they've been in the past, so we know how wrong they'll be in the future."

Brandon Arnold, Executive Vice President of the National Taxpayers Union, showed his organization's support, urging Congress to pass the bill: "National Taxpayers Union is pleased to support Congressman Barr's CBO Scoring Accountability Act, which will help ensure that lawmakers have more accurate data when they craft tax and fiscal policies."

This legislative effort is positioned as a step toward greater transparency and accountability in the legislative budget process. Congress is being encouraged by various stakeholders to consider the bill and its potential to ensure fiscal responsibility.