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To amend the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 to require the Congressional Budget Office to include the effects of using baseline assumptions when preparing estimates under such Act, and for other purposes.
Summary
- Requires the Congressional Budget Office to explain how baseline assumptions affect its cost estimates for proposed legislation.
- Requires the Congressional Budget Office to calculate and show the quantitative difference between cost estimates with and without baseline assumptions.
- Requires the Congressional Budget Office to identify which baseline assumptions caused cost differences and explain programs where baseline assumptions understate actual federal spending.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
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![Rep. Cline, Ben [R-VA-6]](https://media.civicgate.org/people/d/politicians/C001118.thumb.jpg)
Rep. Cline, Ben (R-VA) [#6]
Actions (2)
- Apr 29, 2026 Referred to the Committee on Rules, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. · house
- Apr 29, 2026 Introduced in House
Text versions (1)
Bills are re-published as they move (Introduced → Reported → Engrossed → Enrolled …). Each stage below is a separate text; pick two to see what changed. Data from Congress.gov.
Full text
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 29, 2026
Mr. Cline introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Rules, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To amend the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 to require the Congressional Budget Office to include the effects of using baseline assumptions when preparing estimates under such Act, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “Cost Estimate Clarity Act”.
SEC. 2. EFFECT OF BASELINE ON CBO ESTIMATES.
Section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 653) is amended—
(1) by striking “The Director” and inserting the following:
“(a) In General.—The Director”; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
“(b) Effects of Baseline.—With respect to any estimate prepared under subsection (a), the Office shall, to the greatest extent practicable, include a description of the effects of using baseline assumptions under section 257 of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 907) on the estimate, including—
“(1) a quantitative estimate of the difference between the estimate and the cost of the measure if baseline assumptions were not used to prepare such estimate;
“(2) which baseline assumption caused such difference; and
“(3) an explanation of any programs or provisions for which the baseline assumptions results in the estimate showing lower or no budgetary cost relative to actual expected Federal expenditures, including any instance where the baseline assumes the extension or continuation of a program, benefit, or payment rate.”. <all>
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