§602. Duties and functions

(a) Assistance to budget committees

It shall be the 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 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) Transfer of functions of Joint Committee on Reduction of Federal Expenditures

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.

(f) 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), and (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. 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.

(g) 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 Administration 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.

(h) Studies

The Director shall conduct continuing studies to enhance comparisons of budget outlays, credit authority, and tax expenditures.

( Pub. L. 93–344, title II, §202(a)–(e)(1), (f), (g), July 12, 1974, 88 Stat. 304 , 305; Pub. L. 99–177, title II, §221, Dec. 12, 1985, 99 Stat. 1060 ; Pub. L. 101–508, title XIII, §13112(a)(3), Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1388–608 .)

Codification

Subsec. (e) of this section was subsec. (e)(1) in the original and was designated subsec. (e) for purposes of codification. Subsec. (e)(2) of section 202 of Pub. L. 93–344 repealed section 571 of former Title 31, Money and Finance.

Amendments

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, §221(a), substituted "February 15" for "April 1".

Subsec. (f)(3). Pub. L. 99–177, §221(b), added par. (3).

Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 99–177, §221(c), added subsec. (h).

Change of Name

Committee on House Administration of House of Representatives changed to Committee on House Oversight of House of Representatives by House Resolution No. 6, One Hundred Fourth Congress, Jan. 4, 1995.

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, set out as a note under section 621 of this title.

Credit Reform

Pub. L. 100–119, title II, §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."