Fond Du Lac Times

Congressmen Glenn Grothman (R-WI) and Kweisi Mfume (D-MD) have introduced a bipartisan bill aimed at enhancing the efficiency and transparency of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). The CBO Data Access Act, also known as H.R. 7184, seeks to streamline the process of projecting the fiscal impact of proposed legislation and provide taxpayers with more timely information on the cost of legislative proposals.

The legislation, if passed, would exempt the CBO from the Privacy Act, eliminating procedural delays that hinder the CBO's access to vital data for baseline budget projections, economic assessments, cost estimates, and reports. This exemption would enable the CBO to expedite the delivery of information on the fiscal impact of legislation, especially given the substantial debt of the nation.

Congressman Grothman emphasized the importance of removing obstacles that impede timely access to data, stating, "By removing obstacles that impede timely access to data, we are fostering a more transparent and responsive government."

Congressman Mfume, who co-led the bipartisan legislation, highlighted the barrier that often hinders the CBO from carrying out its mission of providing timely cost estimates and ensuring fiscal responsibility. He expressed his commitment to clear communication of how taxpayer funds are being utilized to best serve the American people.

The CBO Data Access Act would accelerate the speed and improve the confidence with which the CBO can assess the budgetary impact of proposed legislation. By providing the CBO with an exemption to the Privacy Act, the bill eliminates procedural delays in accessing information maintained by federal agencies. This access to agencies' data is crucial for the CBO to fulfill its mission and provide accurate budget projections, economic assessments, and cost estimates.

The bill also addresses the need for agencies to share records with the CBO without requiring prior written consent, ensuring timely access to necessary data. This provision will expedite the inclusion of agency data in the CBO's analyses, which can be crucial for producing accurate cost estimates and reports.

In 2022 alone, agency data enabled the CBO to produce 760 cost estimates, thousands of requests for technical assistance, and 83 reports, working papers, testimonies, and interactive tools. The CBO Data Access Act aims to improve the quality and accuracy of the CBO's baseline projections and reports by granting more efficient access to data. This access will enable more sophisticated analyses, resulting in more robust data baselines and increased confidence in the CBO's cost estimates.

Moreover, the bill provides clarity for agency information managers that the CBO is authorized to receive personal information protected by the Privacy Act. This authorization ensures that the CBO maintains the same confidentiality protections as the data-sharing agency itself, reducing the time spent negotiating with agencies for data and ultimately improving the CBO's analyses.

The introduction of the CBO Data Access Act marks a significant bipartisan effort to enhance the transparency and efficiency of the CBO's fiscal projections. As the bill progresses, it will be interesting to see the impact it may have on the accessibility and accuracy of information regarding the cost of legislative proposals.

U.S. Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-Glenbeulah), serving his fifth term representing Wisconsin’s 6th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, has been instrumental in championing this legislation, along with Congressman Kweisi Mfume (D-MD).