Lawmakers created the Congressional Budget Office to help the Congress play a stronger role in budget matters. CBO 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 the Congress make effective budget and economic policy. The agency offers an alternative to the information provided by the Office of Management and Budget and other agencies in the executive branch.

The Congress sets CBO’s priorities. Under the Budget Act, CBO works for all Congressional committees, with its chief responsibility being to help the Budget Committees with the matters under their jurisdiction. Priority under the act is also given to the House and Senate Appropriations, House Ways and Means, and Senate Finance Committees. The agency also works closely with the leadership of both chambers.

Each year, the agency’s economists, budget analysts, and other experts (such as demographers and engineers) fulfill thousands of requests for technical assistance, produce hundreds of cost estimates for proposed legislation, and prepare dozens of reports and other materials on a variety of topics. CBO conducts objective, impartial analysis and hires employees without regard to political affiliation. The agency does not make policy recommendations. CBO’s published cost estimates and reports are available to the Congress and the public on the agency’s website.