§ 602. — Duties and functions.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 2USC602]
TITLE 2--THE CONGRESS
CHAPTER 17--CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE
Sec. 602. Duties and functions
(a) Assistance to budget committees
It shall be the primary duty and function of the Office to provide
to the Committees on the Budget of both Houses information which will
assist such committees in the discharge of all matters within their
jurisdictions, including (1) information with respect to the budget,
appropriation bills, and other bills authorizing or providing new budget
authority or tax expenditures, (2) information with respect to revenues,
receipts, estimated future revenues and receipts, and changing revenue
conditions, and (3) such related information as such Committee may
request.
(b) Assistance to Committees on Appropriations, Ways and Means, and
Finance
At the request of the Committee on Appropriations of either House,
the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives, or the
Committee on Finance of the Senate, the Office shall provide to such
Committee any information which will assist it in the discharge of
matters within its jurisdiction, including information described in
clauses (1) and (2) of subsection (a) of this section and such related
information as the Committee may request.
(c) Assistance to other committees and Members
(1) At the request of any other committee of the House of
Representatives or the Senate or any joint committee of the Congress,
the Office shall provide to such committee or joint committee any
information compiled in carrying out clauses (1) and (2) of subsection
(a) of this section, and, to the extent practicable, such additional
information related to the foregoing as may be requested.
(2) At the request of any committee of the Senate or the House of
Representatives, the Office shall, to the extent practicable, consult
with and assist such committee in analyzing the budgetary or financial
impact of any proposed legislation that may have--
(A) a significant budgetary impact on State, local, or tribal
governments;
(B) a significant financial impact on the private sector; or
(C) a significant employment impact on the private sector.
(3) At the request of any Member of the House or Senate, the Office
shall provide to such Member any information compiled in carrying out
clauses (1) and (2) of subsection (a) of this section, and, to the
extent available, such additional information related to the foregoing
as may be requested.
(d) Assignment of office personnel to committees and joint committees
At the request of the Committee on the Budget of either House,
personnel of the Office shall be assigned, on a temporary basis, to
assist such committee. At the request of any other committee of either
House or any joint committee of the Congress, personnel of the Office
may be assigned, on a temporary basis, to assist such committee or joint
committee with respect to matters directly related to the applicable
provisions of subsection (b) or (c) of this section.
(e) Reports to budget committees
(1) On or before February 15 of each year, the Director shall submit
to the Committees on the Budget of the House of Representatives and the
Senate a report, for the fiscal year commencing on October 1 of that
year, with respect to fiscal policy, including (A) alternative levels of
total revenues, total new budget authority, and total outlays (including
related surpluses and deficits), (B) the levels of tax expenditures
under existing law, taking into account projected economic factors and
any changes in such levels based on proposals in the budget submitted by
the President for such fiscal year, and (C) a statement of the levels of
budget authority and outlays for each program assumed to be extended in
the baseline, as provided in section 907(b)(2)(A) of this title and for
excise taxes assumed to be extended under section 907(b)(2)(C) of this
title. Such report shall also include a discussion of national budget
priorities, including alternative ways of allocating new budget
authority and budget outlays for such fiscal year among major programs
or functional categories, taking into account how such alternative
allocations will meet major national needs and affect balanced growth
and development of the United States.
(2) The Director shall from time to time submit to the Committees on
the Budget of the House of Representatives and the Senate such further
reports (including reports revising the report required by paragraph
(1)) as may be necessary or appropriate to provide such Committees with
information, data, and analyses for the performance of their duties and
functions.
(3) On or before January 15 of each year, the Director, after
consultation with the appropriate committees of the House of
Representatives and Senate, shall submit to the Congress a report
listing (A) all programs and activities funded during the fiscal year
ending September 30 of that calendar year for which authorizations for
appropriations have not been enacted for that fiscal year, and (B) all
programs and activities for which authorizations for appropriations have
been enacted for the fiscal year ending September 30 of that calendar
year, but for which no authorizations for appropriations have been
enacted for the fiscal year beginning October 1 of that calendar year.
(f) Use of computers and other techniques
The Director may equip the Office with up-to-date computer
capability (upon approval of the Committee on House Oversight of the
House of Representatives and the Committee on Rules and Administration
of the Senate), obtain the services of experts and consultants in
computer technology, and develop techniques for the evaluation of
budgetary requirements.
(g) Studies
(1) Continuing studies
The Director of the Congressional Budget Office shall conduct
continuing studies to enhance comparisons of budget outlays, credit
authority, and tax expenditures.
(2) Federal mandate studies
(A) At the request of any Chairman or ranking member of the
minority of a Committee of the Senate or the House of
Representatives, the Director shall, to the extent practicable,
conduct a study of a legislative proposal containing a Federal
mandate.
(B) In conducting a study on intergovernmental mandates under
subparagraph (A), the Director shall--
(i) solicit and consider information or comments from
elected officials (including their designated representatives)
of State, local, or tribal governments as may provide helpful
information or comments;
(ii) consider establishing advisory panels of elected
officials or their designated representatives, of State, local,
or tribal governments if the Director determines that such
advisory panels would be helpful in performing responsibilities
of the Director under this section; and
(iii) if, and to the extent that the Director determines
that accurate estimates are reasonably feasible, include
estimates of--
(I) the future direct cost of the Federal mandate to the
extent that such costs significantly differ from or extend
beyond the 5-year period after the mandate is first
effective; and
(II) any disproportionate budgetary effects of Federal
mandates upon particular industries or sectors of the
economy, States, regions, and urban or rural or other types
of communities, as appropriate.
(C) In conducting a study on private sector mandates under
subparagraph (A), the Director shall provide estimates, if and to
the extent that the Director determines that such estimates are
reasonably feasible, of--
(i) future costs of Federal private sector mandates to the
extent that such mandates differ significantly from or extend
beyond the 5-year time period referred to in subparagraph
(B)(iii)(I);
(ii) any disproportionate financial effects of Federal
private sector mandates and of any Federal financial assistance
in the bill or joint resolution upon any particular industries
or sectors of the economy, States, regions, and urban or rural
or other types of communities; and
(iii) the effect of Federal private sector mandates in the
bill or joint resolution on the national economy, including the
effect on productivity, economic growth, full employment,
creation of productive jobs, and international competitiveness
of United States goods and services.
(Pub. L. 93-344, title II, Sec. 202, July 12, 1974, 88 Stat. 304; Pub.
L. 99-177, title II, Sec. 221, Dec. 12, 1985, 99 Stat. 1060; Pub. L.
101-508, title XIII, Sec. 13112(a)(3), Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1388-608;
Pub. L. 104-4, title I, Sec. 102(1), Mar. 22, 1995, 109 Stat. 60; Pub.
L. 104-186, title II, Sec. 213, Aug. 20, 1996, 110 Stat. 1745; Pub. L.
105-33, title X, Sec. 10103, Aug. 5, 1997, 111 Stat. 678.)
Amendments
1997--Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 105-33, Sec. 10103(a), inserted
``primary'' before ``duty'' in first sentence.
Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 105-33, Sec. 10103(b), redesignated subsec. (f)
as (e) and struck out heading and text of former subsec. (e). Text of
par. (1) of subsec. (e) read as follows: ``The duties, functions, and
personnel of the Joint Committee on Reduction of Federal Expenditures
are transferred to the Office, and the Joint Committee is abolished.''
Par. (2) of subsec. (e) repealed section 571 of former Title 31, Money
and Finance.
Subsec. (e)(1)(C). Pub. L. 105-33, Sec. 10103(c), added subpar. (C).
Subsecs. (f) to (h). Pub. L. 105-33, Sec. 10103(b), redesignated
subsecs. (g) and (h) as (f) and (g), respectively.
1996--Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 104-186 substituted ``House Oversight''
for ``House Administration''.
1995--Subsec. (c)(2), (3). Pub. L. 104-4, Sec. 102(1)(A), added par.
(2) and redesignated former par. (2) as (3).
Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 104-4, Sec. 102(1)(B), amended heading and text
of subsec. (h) generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows:
``The Director shall conduct continuing studies to enhance comparisons
of budget outlays, credit authority, and tax expenditures.''
1990--Subsecs. (a)(1), (f)(1). Pub. L. 101-508 substituted ``new
budget authority'' for ``budget authority'' in subsec. (a)(1) and second
sentence of subsec. (f)(1).
1985--Subsec. (f)(1). Pub. L. 99-177, Sec. 221(a), substituted
``February 15'' for ``April 1''.
Subsec. (f)(3). Pub. L. 99-177, Sec. 221(b), added par. (3).
Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 99-177, Sec. 221(c), added subsec. (h).
Change of Name
Committee on House Oversight of House of Representatives changed to
Committee on House Administration of House of Representatives by House
Resolution No. 5, One Hundred Sixth Congress, Jan. 6, 1999.
Effective Date of 1995 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 104-4 effective Jan. 1, 1996, or on the date 90
days after appropriations are made available as authorized under section
1516 of this title, whichever is earlier, and applicable to legislation
considered on and after such date, see section 110 of Pub. L. 104-4, set
out as an Effective Date note under section 1511 of this title.
Effective Date of 1985 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 99-177 effective Dec. 12, 1985, and applicable
with respect to fiscal years beginning after Sept. 30, 1985, see section
275(a)(1) of Pub. L. 99-177, set out as an Effective and Termination
Dates note under section 900 of this title.
Effective Date
Section effective on day on which first Director of Congressional
Budget Office is appointed under section 601(a) of this title, see
section 905(b) of Pub. L. 93-344, formerly set out as a note under
section 621 of this title.
Credit Reform
Pub. L. 100-119, title II, Sec. 212, Sept. 29, 1987, 101 Stat. 787,
provided that: ``The Congressional Budget Office, in consultation with
the General Accounting Office, shall study and report to Congress on
Federal direct loan and loan guarantee programs for fiscal year 1987 and
fiscal year 1988. The report shall be submitted as soon as practicable
to all congressional committees of appropriate jurisdiction. The report
shall provide information and recommendations on: (1) more accurately
measuring the costs to the Federal Government of such credit programs,
(2) comparing the cost of credit programs to other forms of Federal
assistance, and (3) improving the allocation of resources between credit
and other programs. The report shall also discuss the considerations
involved in establishing a system for using the information on the costs
of credit programs as part of the budget process.''
