Bill would reshape how CBO calculates spending baselines

What does this do?

This bill changes the rules for how the federal government builds its official budget baseline, which is the starting forecast used when making spending decisions. Under the new rules, the baseline would hold current spending flat instead of automatically adding increases for inflation or growing temporary spending over time. The Congressional Budget Office would also be required to publish additional budget scenarios alongside its main forecast.

Who does it affect?

This bill affects Congress, the Congressional Budget Office, and the House and Senate Budget Committees. Budget analysts and policymakers who use the baseline to measure the impact of new legislation would also be affected.

Why does it matter?

Because the baseline is the measuring stick for scoring new legislation, changing how it is built can affect whether proposed spending changes are counted as cuts or increases. This in turn shapes how budget debates and votes play out in Congress.

Where does it stand?