S 278 — CBO Show Your Work Act

Summary

CBO Show Your Work Act This bill requires the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to make available to Congress and the public each fiscal model, policy model, and data preparation routine that the CBO uses to estimate the costs and other fiscal, social, or economic effects of legislation. For each estimate of the costs and other fiscal effects of legislation, the CBO must also disclose, in a manner sufficient to permit replication by individuals not employed by the CBO, the data, programs, models, assumptions, and other details of the computations used to prepare the estimate. For data that may not be disclosed, the CBO must make available to Congress and the public a complete list of all data variables for the data; descriptive statistics for all data variables for the data, to the extent that the descriptive statistics do not violate the rule against disclosure; a reference to the statute requiring that the data not be disclosed; and contact information for the individual or entity who has unrestricted access to the data.

Bill Text

• Introduced Introduced in Senate Current html January 30, 2019

Compared against current U.S. Code AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

The bill requires the Congressional Budget Office to publicly disclose its models and data used in cost analysis, enhancing transparency.

• 2 U.S.C. 653

  The Director → (a) In General.--The Director

  This change clarifies that the section applies to the Director within a more defined subsection.

• 2 U.S.C. 653

  (b) Publication of Models and Data.--The Director of the Congressional Budget Office shall make available to Members of Congress and make publicly available on the website of the Congressional Budget Office--

  This addition mandates the publication of models and data used for cost estimates, promoting transparency.

• 2 U.S.C. 653

  (1) each fiscal model, policy model, and data preparation routine used by the Congressional Budget Office in estimating the costs and other fiscal, social, or economic effects of legislation, including estimates prepared under subsection (a);

  This specifies the types of models and routines that must be made publicly available.

• 2 U.S.C. 653

  (2) any update of a model or routine described in paragraph (1);

  This ensures that updates to models and routines are also publicly disclosed.

• 2 U.S.C. 653

  (3) subject to paragraph (4), for each estimate of the costs and other fiscal effects of legislation, including estimates prepared under subsection (a), the data, programs, models, assumptions, and other details of the computations used by the Congressional Budget Office in preparing the estimate, in a manner sufficient to permit replication by individuals not employed by the Congressional Budget Office;

  This enhances accountability by requiring detailed disclosure of data and methodologies for cost estimates.

• 2 U.S.C. 653

  (4) for any data that is required not to be disclosed by the Congressional Budget Office--

  This introduces provisions for handling data that cannot be disclosed while still providing relevant summaries.

• 2 U.S.C. 653

  (A) a complete list of all data variables for such data;

  This requires a comprehensive listing of non-disclosed data variables.

• 2 U.S.C. 653

  (B) descriptive statistics for all data variables for such data (including averages, standard deviations, number of observations, and correlations to other variables), to the extent that the descriptive statistics do not violate the rule against disclosure;

  This mandates the release of descriptive statistics for non-disclosed data as allowed.

• 2 U.S.C. 653

  (C) a reference to the statute requiring that the data not be disclosed; and

  This adds transparency by citing the legal basis for any data restrictions.

• 2 U.S.C. 653

  (D) information regarding how to contact the individual or entity who has unrestricted access to the data.

  This provides a channel for inquiries about access to restricted data.

Action History

1. January 30, 2019

   Introduced in Senate

2. January 30, 2019

   Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Budget.

Sponsors

• Mike Lee · Primary

Subjects