What Is the Congressional Budget Office? The Scorekeeper Both Parties Love to Criticize

CBO is structurally nonpartisan — its director is appointed by the Speaker of the House and the President pro tempore of the Senate and is not a political appointee of the executive branch. Its staff are career professionals. Independent evaluations have consistently found CBO scores to be among the most accurate fiscal forecasts in Washington. However, both parties have accused it of bias when its scores are politically inconvenient, which is itself a testament to its independence.

The Congressional Budget Office works for Congress and is independent of the executive branch. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) works for the president and produces the administration's budget estimates. When the two produce different estimates — which is common — the CBO number is binding for congressional budget procedures. The Trump administration has sometimes directed OMB to produce estimates favorable to its proposals that differ significantly from CBO projections.

Politically, yes — and frequently does. Legally, CBO scores are binding for budget enforcement purposes: they determine whether a reconciliation bill violates the Byrd Rule or PAYGO requirements. If CBO says a provision would increase the deficit beyond what is allowed, it can be struck from a reconciliation bill. For regular legislation, there is no enforcement mechanism — Congress can pass a bill that CBO scores as adding to the deficit; it just might face political consequences.