CINXE.COM

Introduction to CBO | Congressional Budget Office

<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en" dir="ltr" prefix="og: https://ogp.me/ns#"> <head> <meta charset="utf-8" /> <noscript><style>form.antibot * :not(.antibot-message) { display: none !important; }</style> </noscript><meta name="description" content="CBO is strictly nonpartisan; conducts objective, impartial analysis; and hires its employees solely on the basis of professional competence without regard to political affiliation.聽CBO does not make policy recommendations, and each report and cost estimate summarizes the methodology underlying the analysis. Read more about us 10 Things to Know Products Processes Transparency Distributional Analysis Objectivity Organization and Staffing Panels of Advisers History" /> <link rel="canonical" href="https://www.cbo.gov/about/overview" /> <meta name="Generator" content="Drupal 10 (https://www.drupal.org)" /> <meta name="MobileOptimized" content="width" /> <meta name="HandheldFriendly" content="true" /> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0" /> <link rel="icon" href="/themes/custom/cbo/apple-touch-icon.png" type="image/png" /> <title>Introduction to CBO | Congressional Budget Office</title> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="/sites/default/files/css/css_l4EsxkQpq2SLgkHvcv19EYZJTbLsEwWnXlCq9RtYWvs.css?delta=0&amp;language=en&amp;theme=cbo&amp;include=eJwNykEOwyAMBdELkfpIyMAPInIhtY0Sbl-W8zS2zPGlxIaQ06AqI7Ec5ktar-H6TeiKs1HrDu0sn6eVCj-yWchDQUXnvZkvfkOC7yvivYehxLPJTqOKDmX5A-0hKjA" /> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="/sites/default/files/css/css_EFzIhwVeGwr0QPxM19R6ul8QM2Ih4C9Vh65RxVCU8bY.css?delta=1&amp;language=en&amp;theme=cbo&amp;include=eJwNykEOwyAMBdELkfpIyMAPInIhtY0Sbl-W8zS2zPGlxIaQ06AqI7Ec5ktar-H6TeiKs1HrDu0sn6eVCj-yWchDQUXnvZkvfkOC7yvivYehxLPJTqOKDmX5A-0hKjA" /> <script type="application/json" data-drupal-selector="drupal-settings-json">{"path":{"baseUrl":"\/","pathPrefix":"","currentPath":"node\/104","currentPathIsAdmin":false,"isFront":false,"currentLanguage":"en"},"pluralDelimiter":"\u0003","gtag":{"tagId":"G-TMTDEKRHDC","consentMode":false,"otherIds":[],"events":[],"additionalConfigInfo":{"content_type":"Basic Page","page_title":"Introduction to CBO"}},"suppressDeprecationErrors":true,"ajaxPageState":{"libraries":"eJxdyEEOgCAMBdELoRyJFPw2mEoJ7QJur1vdTPImwx0jYXY1HOms8tIio2GQhJI1smgm2ayM2t0-y5fUxoFVWZCcOPKbv3e6aAZb5rhjJsMDjfItSA","theme":"cbo","theme_token":null},"ajaxTrustedUrl":{"\/search":true},"user":{"uid":0,"permissionsHash":"7a415c3ebf144a306add34550ec978d27df5e586f5db6f6287ac69e25a550ee7"}}</script> <script src="/sites/default/files/js/js_KUAgVdUs8mwQ5BetAk66RGAyUk9RHfdxZC9ACi1tfdc.js?scope=header&amp;delta=0&amp;language=en&amp;theme=cbo&amp;include=eJxdx0EOwCAIBMAP2fIkA3ZLbEgxwsHn13Mvk0wTJzUXtiPa7COjqLsaarKSbv4_-eFVBJmYFWt44Kp3t90gxYvJ9gGf2iF2"></script> <script src="/modules/contrib/google_tag/js/gtag.js?sn5jcn"></script> <script src="/sites/default/files/js/js_FtGzGjRcAT0pQj2wECp60qFSi_dpeQ0BJTAv8saNCJU.js?scope=header&amp;delta=2&amp;language=en&amp;theme=cbo&amp;include=eJxdx0EOwCAIBMAP2fIkA3ZLbEgxwsHn13Mvk0wTJzUXtiPa7COjqLsaarKSbv4_-eFVBJmYFWt44Kp3t90gxYvJ9gGf2iF2"></script> </head> <body class="one-sidebar sidebar-first page-node-104 path-node page-node-type-page"> <a href="#main-content" class="visually-hidden focusable skip-link"> Skip to main content </a> <div class="dialog-off-canvas-main-canvas" data-off-canvas-main-canvas> <div role="document" class="page"> <header id="site-header"> <div class="outer-wrapper"> <a href="/" rel="home" title="Congressional Budget Office" class="home-link"> <picture> <source media="(max-width: 900px)" type="image/svg+xml" srcset="/themes/custom/cbo/images/cbo_logo_white.svg"> <source type="image/svg+xml" srcset="/themes/custom/cbo/images/cbo_logo_white_desktop.svg"> <img class="logo" typeof="foaf:Image" src="/themes/custom/cbo/images/cbo_logo_white_desktop.png" alt="Congressional Budget Office logo" title="Congressional Budget Office Home"> </picture> </a> <div class="main-navigation"> <a href="#menu" class="menu-link"> <span class="icon-bar-block"> <span class="icon-bar"></span> <span class="icon-bar"></span> <span class="icon-bar"></span> </span> <span class="menu-btn-text">menu</span> </a> <a href="#search" class="search-link"> <picture> <source type="image/svg+xml" srcset="/themes/custom/cbo/images/search-icon.svg"> <img class="" typeof="foaf:Image" src="/themes/custom/cbo/images/search-icon.png" alt="Search" title="Search"> </picture> </a> <section id="block-cbo-branding" class="block block-system block-system-branding-block"> </section> <nav role="navigation" aria-labelledby="block-cbo-mainmenu-menu" id="block-cbo-mainmenu" class="block block-menu navigation menu--main"> <h2 class="visually-hidden" id="block-cbo-mainmenu-menu">Main menu</h2> <ul class="menu"> <li class="menu-item menu-item--collapsed menu-item--active-trail"> <a href="/about/overview" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/104" class="is-active" aria-current="page">About CBO</a> </li> <li class="menu-item menu-item--collapsed"> <a href="/topics" title="" data-drupal-link-system-path="topics">Topics</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/cost-estimates" data-drupal-link-system-path="cost-estimates">Cost Estimates</a> </li> <li class="menu-item menu-item--collapsed"> <a href="/data" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/56283">Data</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/interactives" data-drupal-link-system-path="interactives">Interactives</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/faqs" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/49835">FAQs</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/blog" data-drupal-link-system-path="blog">Blog</a> </li> </ul> </nav> <div data-drupal-messages-fallback class="hidden"></div> <section class="views-exposed-form bef-exposed-form search-exposed" data-drupal-selector="views-exposed-form-general-solr-page-1" id="block-cbo-exposedformgeneral-solrpage-1-2"> <form action="/search" method="get" id="views-exposed-form-general-solr-page-1" accept-charset="UTF-8"> <div class="form--inline clearfix"> <div class="js-form-item form-item js-form-type-textfield form-type-textfield js-form-item-search-api-fulltext form-item-search-api-fulltext"> <label for="edit-search-api-fulltext">Enter your keywords</label> <input placeholder="Search CBO.gov" data-drupal-selector="edit-search-api-fulltext" type="text" id="edit-search-api-fulltext" name="search_api_fulltext" value="" size="30" maxlength="128" class="form-text" /> </div> <fieldset data-drupal-selector="edit-field-search" id="edit-field-search--wrapper" class="fieldgroup form-composite js-form-item form-item js-form-wrapper form-wrapper"> <legend> <span class="fieldset-legend">Search Only: </span> </legend> <div class="fieldset-wrapper"> <div id="edit-field-search" class="form-checkboxes"><div class="js-form-item form-item js-form-type-checkbox form-type-checkbox js-form-item-field-search-bill form-item-field-search-bill"> <input data-drupal-selector="edit-field-search-bill" type="checkbox" id="edit-field-search-bill" name="field_search[bill]" value="bill" class="form-checkbox" /> <label for="edit-field-search-bill" class="option">Bill Number</label> </div> <div class="js-form-item form-item js-form-type-checkbox form-type-checkbox js-form-item-field-search-title form-item-field-search-title"> <input data-drupal-selector="edit-field-search-title" type="checkbox" id="edit-field-search-title" name="field_search[title]" value="title" class="form-checkbox" /> <label for="edit-field-search-title" class="option">Title</label> </div> </div> </div> </fieldset> <input data-drupal-selector="edit-field-entire-bill-number" type="hidden" name="field_entire_bill_number" value="" /> <input data-drupal-selector="edit-submit-general-solr" type="submit" id="edit-submit-general-solr" value="Search" class="button js-form-submit form-submit" /> </div> </form> <section class="filter-facets-heading"> <h3>Refine Results By</h3> </section> </section> </div> </header> <main role="main" class="outer-wrapper"> <a id="main-content" tabindex="-1"></a> <aside id="sidebar-first" role="complementary" class="sidebar"> <nav role="navigation" aria-labelledby="block-cbo-mainmenu-2-menu" id="block-cbo-mainmenu-2" class="block block-menu navigation menu--main"> <h2 id="block-cbo-mainmenu-2-menu">ABOUT CBO</h2> <ul class="menu"> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/about/10-things-to-know" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/53521">10 Things to Know</a> </li> <li class="menu-item menu-item--collapsed"> <a href="/about/products" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/43684">Products</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/about/processes" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/10253">Processes</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/about/transparency" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/43491">Transparency</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/about/distributional-analysis" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/58315">Distributional Analysis</a> </li> <li class="menu-item menu-item--collapsed"> <a href="/about/objectivity" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/49788">Objectivity</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/about/organization-and-staffing" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/25166">Organization and Staffing</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/about/panels-advisers" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/49865">Panels of Advisers </a> </li> <li class="menu-item menu-item--collapsed"> <a href="/about/history" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/43683">History</a> </li> <li class="menu-item menu-item--collapsed"> <a href="/about/careers" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/367">Work at CBO</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/about/business-opportunities" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/5048">Business Opportunities</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/about/contact" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/255">Contact Information</a> </li> </ul> </nav> </aside> <section id="content"> <section id="block-cbo-page-title" class="block block-core block-page-title-block"> <h1> <span>Introduction to CBO</span> </h1> </section> <section id="block-cbo-cbo-system-main" class="block block-system block-system-main-block"> <article id="node-104" class=""> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="365" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_IY_PM0m3OI" width="650"></iframe></p><p>Since 1975, CBO has produced independent analyses of budgetary and economic issues to support the Congressional budget process. Each year, the agency鈥檚 economists and budget analysts produce dozens of reports and hundreds of cost estimates for proposed legislation.</p><p>CBO is strictly nonpartisan; conducts objective, impartial analysis; and hires its employees solely on the basis of professional competence without regard to political affiliation. CBO does not make policy recommendations, and each report and cost estimate summarizes the methodology underlying the analysis. Learn more about CBO's commitment to <a href="/about/objectivity">objectivity</a> and <a href="/about/transparency">transparency</a>.</p><p>CBO鈥檚 work follows processes specified in the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 (which established the agency) or developed by the agency in concert with the House and Senate Budget Committees and the Congressional leadership.</p><p>If you are new to the Congress or are unfamiliar with CBO, you may find yourself asking the following questions:</p><ul><li><a href="/about/products">What types of reports does CBO produce?</a></li><li><a href="/faqs#costestimates">How do I get a cost estimate?</a></li><li><a href="/faqs#policyoptions">Where can&nbsp;I find budget options?</a></li><li><a href="/about/contact">How do I contact CBO?</a></li></ul><p>For more information, visit our other pages in the About CBO section or read our printable brochure, <a href="/system/files/2024-01/59687-Intro-to-CBO.pdf"><em>An Introduction to the Congressional Budget Office</em></a>.</p></div> </article> </section> </section> </main> <footer id="site-footer" role="contentinfo"> <div class="footer-top-wrapper"> <section class="footer-top"> <section id="block-cbo-stayconnected" class="block block-block-content block-block-content121d8e86-2c04-4907-8bda-853870ff58b5"> <h2 >Stay Connected</h2> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><form action="https://www.feedblitz.com/f/f.fbz?AddNewUserDirect" id="email-updates-signup" method="POST" name="FeedBlitz_06f6221b03f911e29f67003005ce8903"><fieldset><legend>Get CBO鈥檚 Email Updates</legend></fieldset><ol><li><label class="structural" for="email-updates-signup-input">Email Address</label> <input id="email-updates-signup-input" maxlength="64" name="EMAIL" placeholder="email address" size="25" type="email" value> <input maxlength="64" name="EMAIL_" size="25" type="hidden" value> <input maxlength="64" name="EMAIL_ADDRESS" size="25" type="hidden" value> <input name="SiteScope" type="hidden" value="812526"> <input name="PUBLISHER" type="hidden" value="25590652"></li><li class="butt"><button id="email-updates-signup-submit" onclick="FeedBlitz_06f6221b03f911e29f67003005ce8903s(this.form);" type="submit" value="Submit">Submit</button></li></ol></form><script type="text/javascript"> function FeedBlitz_06f6221b03f911e29f67003005ce8903i() { var x = document.getElementsByName('FeedBlitz_06f6221b03f911e29f67003005ce8903'); for (i = 0; i &lt; x.length; i++) { &lt;!-- Corrected the HTML entity issue --&gt; x[i].EMAIL.style.display = 'block'; x[i].action = 'https://www.feedblitz.com/f/f.fbz?AddNewUserDirect'; } } function FeedBlitz_06f6221b03f911e29f67003005ce8903s(v) { v.submit(); } FeedBlitz_06f6221b03f911e29f67003005ce8903i(); </script><div class="social-links"><a class="twitter-home" href="https://x.com/uscbo" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><picture><source srcset="/themes/custom/cbo/images/social-icons/x.svg" type="image/svg+xml"><img class="logo" alt="CBO X" data-entity-type data-entity-uuid src="/themes/custom/cbo/images/social-icons/x.png" title="CBO X" typeof="foaf:Image"></picture></a><a class="twitter-home" href="https://www.threads.net/@congressionalbudgetoffice" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><picture><source srcset="/themes/custom/cbo/images/social-icons/threads.svg" type="image/svg+xml"><img class="logo" alt="CBO Threads" data-entity-type data-entity-uuid src="/themes/custom/cbo/images/social-icons/threads_2x.png" title="CBO Threads" typeof="foaf:Image"> </picture></a><a class="twitter-home" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/congressional-budget-office" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><picture><source srcset="/themes/custom/cbo/images/social-icons/linkedin-icon.svg" type="image/svg+xml"><img class="logo" alt="CBO LinkedIn" data-entity-type data-entity-uuid src="/themes/custom/cbo/images/social-icons/linkedin-icon.png" title="CBO LinkedIn" typeof="foaf:Image"> </picture></a><a class="twitter-home" href="https://www.slideshare.net/cbo" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><picture><source srcset="/themes/custom/cbo/images/social-icons/slideshare-icon.svg" type="image/svg+xml"><img class="logo" alt="CBO Slideshare" data-entity-type data-entity-uuid src="/themes/custom/cbo/images/social-icons/slideshare-icon.png" title="CBO Slideshare" typeof="foaf:Image"> </picture></a><a class="twitter-home" href="https://www.youtube.com/uscbo" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><picture><source srcset="/themes/custom/cbo/images/social-icons/youtube-icon.svg" type="image/svg+xml"><img class="logo" alt="CBO Youtube" data-entity-type data-entity-uuid src="/themes/custom/cbo/images/social-icons/youtube-icon.png" title="CBO Youtube" typeof="foaf:Image"> </picture></a><a class="twitter-home" href="https://github.com/US-CBO" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><picture><source srcset="/themes/custom/cbo/images/social-icons/github.svg" type="image/svg+xml"><img class="logo" src="/themes/custom/cbo/images/social-icons/github@2x.png" alt="CBO Github" title="CBO Github"> </picture></a><a class="rss-home" href="/publications/all/rss.xml"><picture><source srcset="/themes/custom/cbo/images/social-icons/rss-icon.svg" type="image/svg+xml"><img class="logo" alt="CBO RSS" data-entity-type data-entity-uuid src="/themes/custom/cbo/images/social-icons/rss-icon.png" title="CBO RSS" typeof="foaf:Image"></picture></a></div></div> </section> </section> </div> <div class="footer-bottom-wrapper"> <section class="footer-bottom"> <nav role="navigation" aria-labelledby="block-cbo-footermenu-menu" id="block-cbo-footermenu" class="block block-menu navigation menu--menu-footer-menu"> <h2 class="visually-hidden" id="block-cbo-footermenu-menu">Footer Menu</h2> <ul class="menu"> <li class="menu-item menu-item--active-trail"> <a href="/about/overview" title="" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/104" class="is-active" aria-current="page">About</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/topics" title="" data-drupal-link-system-path="topics">Topics</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/cost-estimates" data-drupal-link-system-path="cost-estimates">Cost Estimates</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/data/budget-economic-data" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/56279">Data</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/interactives" data-drupal-link-system-path="interactives">Interactives</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/faqs" title="" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/49835">FAQs</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/blog" data-drupal-link-system-path="blog">Blog</a> </li> </ul> </nav> <nav role="navigation" aria-labelledby="block-cbo-footermenuutility-menu" id="block-cbo-footermenuutility" class="block block-menu navigation menu--menu-footer-menu---utility"> <h2 class="visually-hidden" id="block-cbo-footermenuutility-menu">Footer Menu - Utility</h2> <ul class="menu"> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/about/careers" title="" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/367">Work at CBO</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/about/business-opportunities" title="" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/5048">Business Opportunities</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/about/contact" title="" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/255">Contact CBO</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/about/press-center" title="" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/51141">Press Center</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/about/privacy" title="" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/5049">Privacy, Security, and Copyright Policies</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/sitemap" data-drupal-link-system-path="sitemap">Sitemap</a> </li> </ul> </nav> </section> </div> </footer> </div> </div> <script src="/sites/default/files/js/js_1J3qrkdfQhCBt0iKUGSD3TY6bm-S3aexP9dorMYKgcQ.js?scope=footer&amp;delta=0&amp;language=en&amp;theme=cbo&amp;include=eJxdx0EOwCAIBMAP2fIkA3ZLbEgxwsHn13Mvk0wTJzUXtiPa7COjqLsaarKSbv4_-eFVBJmYFWt44Kp3t90gxYvJ9gGf2iF2"></script> </body> </html>

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10