Rep. Ralph Norman, U.S. Representative for South Carolina's 5th District | Official U.S. House headshot
Rep. Ralph Norman, U.S. Representative for South Carolina's 5th District | Official U.S. House headshot
On Wednesday, the Congressional Budget Office Oversight Act, introduced by Rep. Ralph Norman (SC-05), Rep. Lisa McClain (MI-09), and Rep. Greg Lopez (CO-04), passed the House Budget Committee with a vote of 21-12. The proposed legislation aims to require the director of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to testify before Congressional Budget Committees at least twice annually.
The CBO is a non-partisan entity responsible for independent analyses of budgetary and economic impacts related to proposed legislation. Currently, only the Congressional Budget Committees in both the House and Senate have jurisdiction over the CBO, yet regular oversight hearings are not mandated. Over the past ten years, the Senate Budget Committee has held five such hearings, while the House has conducted eight. The last attempt at reforming these oversight procedures occurred in 2018.
The new act seeks to address this by ensuring that Congress can regularly assess the accuracy of baseline projections and estimates provided by the CBO. It also aims to ensure long-term stability by mandating consistent appearances from the CBO Director before these committees, regardless of changing priorities or leadership within them.
Rep. Ralph Norman emphasized the importance of addressing national debt through increased oversight: "Perhaps the greatest threat to the future of this country is our outrageous debt of $35 trillion and counting... If we are serious about getting our fiscal house in order, it begins with the director of the CBO appearing regularly."
Rep. Lisa McClain highlighted accountability: "As we make spending decisions, it’s vital we have unbiased, accurate information and constant participation from the Congressional Budget Office... Government agencies are answerable to the American people."
Rep. Greg Lopez underscored a need for improved accuracy: "Reigning in government waste starts with proactive congressional oversight... For years, the Congressional Budget Office has consistently created inaccurate budget estimates."
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