Referred to the Committee on Rules, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of su…
This bill amends the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act to allow the chair of any House or Senate committee (except Appropriations) to obtain a budget estimate for reported legislation from a private "reputable accounting firm". Such private estimates (defined as any of the ten PCAOB-registered firms with largest net revenue last year) may be used in lieu of a Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimate for budget enforcement, reconciliation, PAYGO, budget resolutions, and House and Senate rules.
Trust in CBO's nonpartisan role versus preference for private alternatives
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill clearly establishes a statutory change allowing certain private accounting firms’ estimates to be used in place of CBO estimates for budget enforcement, but it is thinly drafted on implementing details and lacks fiscal, procedural, and accountability safeguards.
This bill amends the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act to allow the chair of any House or Senate committee (except Appropriations) to obtain a budget estimate for reported legislation from a private "reputable accounting firm".
Such private estimates (defined as any of the ten PCAOB-registered firms with largest net revenue last year) may be used in lieu of a Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimate for budget enforcement, reconciliation, PAYGO, budget resolutions, and House and Senate rules.
If a private estimate is obtained, the CBO is not required to produce an estimate for that measure.
Institutional, partisan, and ethical concerns reduce prospects; easier to pass in one chamber but unlikely to clear both and reach enactment without amendments.
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill clearly establishes a statutory change allowing certain private accounting firms’ estimates to be used in place of CBO estimates for budget enforcement, but it is thinly drafted on implementing details and lacks fiscal, procedural, and accountability safeguards.
Trust in CBO's nonpartisan role versus preference for private alternatives
These are examples from the analysis, not a ranked list of the most-affected groups.
Trust in CBO's nonpartisan role versus preference for private alternatives
Likely opposes the bill as it replaces a longstanding nonpartisan public institution with private firms that may have client conflicts.
May acknowledge limited benefits, but views risks to transparency and impartiality as substantial.
Expects unequal incentives and potential weakening of public trust in budget scoring.
Mixed view: sees potential usefulness of additional expertise and speed but worries about accountability and consistency.
Would favor limited, well-regulated pilot use with transparency and conflict-of-interest safeguards.
Uncertain about net improvement to budget enforcement without rules.
Likely supports the bill as a check on perceived CBO bias, and as a way to introduce private-sector efficiency and committee control.
Views competition as healthy and expects private firms to provide useful alternative estimates.
May still accept minimal transparency requirements.
Reached or meaningfully advanced
Reached or meaningfully advanced
Still ahead
Still ahead
Still ahead
Institutional, partisan, and ethical concerns reduce prospects; easier to pass in one chamber but unlikely to clear both and reach enactment without amendments.
The bill has not accumulated any surfaced votes yet.
Trust in CBO's nonpartisan role versus preference for private alternatives
Institutional, partisan, and ethical concerns reduce prospects; easier to pass in one chamber but unlikely to clear both and reach enactmen…
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill clearly establishes a statutory change allowing certain private accounting firms’ estimates to be used in place of CBO estimates for budget enforcement, but it is thi…
Go beyond the headline summary with full stakeholder mapping, legislative design analysis, passage barriers, and lens-by-lens tradeoff breakdowns.