Bill Overview
Title: Congressional Budget Office Termination Act
Description: This bill abolishes the Congressional Budget Office.
Sponsors: Rep. Gohmert, Louie [R-TX-1]
Target Audience
Population: Individuals worldwide
Estimated Size: 331000000
- The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) plays a crucial role in providing independent analyses of budgetary and economic issues to support the U.S. Congress.
- Terminating the CBO may have consequences for those who rely on its reports, including members of Congress, policymakers, and analysts.
- Lack of objective budgetary analysis could affect decision-making processes, potentially leading to less efficient allocation of federal resources.
- The CBO's work indirectly impacts the entire U.S. population due to its influence on federal legislation and budgetary decisions.
Reasoning
- The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) is integral in providing non-partisan budgetary and economic analyses, affecting legislation that impacts all U.S. citizens. Terminating the CBO could lead to a lack of reliable data for informed decision-making.
- The budget of $50,000,000 USD in year 1 and $500,000,000 USD over 10 years is substantial; however, indirect impacts of the policy may not provide immediate financial benefits to individuals directly, but could affect long-term national economic conditions.
- Interviews will include diverse perspectives from policymakers, economists, academics, business owners, and citizens with varying economic backgrounds to reflect the broader implications of CBO termination.
Simulated Interviews
Congressional Staffer (Washington, D.C.)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The abolition of the CBO leaves a significant gap in non-partisan budgetary analysis.
- This could lead to less informed decision-making within Congress.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 4 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 8 |
Economist (New York, NY)
Age: 38 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 9
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The termination of the CBO could lead to speculative and less accurate economic forecasting.
- Without CBO data, there is a risk of poor economic policy decisions.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 9 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 9 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 9 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 9 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 9 |
Small Business Owner (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 54 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I don't follow politics closely, but I worry that mistaken budgetary assessments can lead to policies that harm small businesses.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 7 |
Medical Researcher (Houston, TX)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The CBO's insights play a role in deciding funding for health research.
- Its removal may lead to volatile decisions on funding allocations impacting research stability.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 8 |
Academic - Political Science (Chicago, IL)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Abolishing the CBO could politicize budget evaluations, weakening the checks and balances system.
- This may make partisan agendas more influential without objective analysis.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 4 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 4 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 3 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 3 | 8 |
Retired School Teacher (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 65 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Not entirely sure what the CBO does, but I know it's important for financial stability.
- Changes could affect economic factors influencing retirement benefits.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 4 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 6 |
Freelance Writer (Miami, FL)
Age: 34 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The CBO is often referred to in political circles. Losing it might make transparency in budget matters worse.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 7 |
Software Developer (Seattle, WA)
Age: 28 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- A lot of economic forecasts depend on reliable data which startups use for strategic planning.
- The absence of the CBO might complicate investment and business environment.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 7 |
Public Policy Analyst (Boston, MA)
Age: 48 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 9
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The abrupt end of the CBO could distort policy formulation processes.
- Crucial for objective economic reviews, its absence would reduce policy rigor.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 9 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 9 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 9 |
| Year 5 | 4 | 9 |
| Year 10 | 4 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 9 |
College Student (Austin, TX)
Age: 22 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Understanding the role of the CBO has been part of my studies on government checks and balances.
- Its disappearance might skew legislative accountability.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 7 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $50000000 (Low: $40000000, High: $60000000)
Year 2: $50000000 (Low: $40000000, High: $60000000)
Year 3: $50000000 (Low: $40000000, High: $60000000)
Year 5: $50000000 (Low: $40000000, High: $60000000)
Year 10: $50000000 (Low: $40000000, High: $60000000)
Year 100: $50000000 (Low: $40000000, High: $60000000)
Key Considerations
- The CBO provides vital budgetary analysis that informs Congress about economic and budgetary decisions.
- The termination of the CBO could result in unquantifiable costs related to inefficient legislative decisions.
- Alternative solutions, such as outsourcing budget analysis, may not guarantee the same level of comprehensive and unbiased analysis.