HR-8569-119
Referred to the House Committee on the Budget.
Sponsored by Ben Cline (R-VA)
What it does
This bill would amend the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 to change how the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) calculates the federal budget "baseline" — the projected spending and revenue path used as a reference point for measuring the cost of legislation. Specifically, it would require the baseline to hold discretionary spending flat at current dollar levels with no adjustment for inflation, and would eliminate a provision that assumed automatic inflation-based increases in discretionary spending. It would also require CBO to publish alternative fiscal scenarios in consultation with the House and Senate Budget Committees.
Who benefits
Legislators and advocates who favor reducing federal spending, who would find it easier to argue that flat-funded programs represent no "cut" under the new baseline. Taxpayers broadly, if the change leads to lower projected deficits and reduced borrowing. Budget analysts and the public who may benefit from additional alternative fiscal scenarios published by CBO. Members of Congress who prefer a baseline that does not automatically build in spending growth assumptions.
Who is hurt
Federal agencies and program administrators whose budgets are currently assumed to grow with inflation — under the new baseline, flat funding would no longer appear as a cut, potentially reducing political pressure to maintain real purchasing power. Recipients of discretionary programs (e.g., education, housing, scientific research, veterans' services) who may see reduced funding in real terms if the baseline change reduces the perceived cost of flat or declining appropriations. CBO staff and Budget Committee members who would face new consultation requirements. State and local governments that rely on federal discretionary grants, whose funding levels may be affected by changed baseline dynamics.
Supporters argue
Supporters argue that the current baseline's built-in inflation adjustments create a systematic bias toward higher spending by treating flat funding as a "cut," distorting the budget debate before it begins. They contend that a baseline anchored to current law and current dollar levels — rather than projected growth — gives Congress and the public a more honest and neutral starting point for fiscal decisions, consistent with how most households and businesses plan their budgets. They also argue that requiring CBO to publish alternative fiscal scenarios increases transparency and gives lawmakers a fuller picture of the nation's fiscal trajectory.
Opponents argue
Opponents argue that removing inflation adjustments from the baseline obscures the real-world cost of maintaining government services, since the same dollar amount buys fewer goods and services each year. They contend that the change would make it easier to enact cuts to programs that serve vulnerable populations by redefining what counts as a spending reduction, effectively tilting the budget process toward lower spending without a transparent vote on that policy choice. They further argue that the existing inflation-adjusted baseline reflects the actual cost of continuing current policy, and that stripping it out produces a misleading picture of fiscal reality.
Constitutional context
This bill involves Congress exercising its core power of the purse under Article I, Section 9, which gives Congress authority over appropriations and fiscal procedures. No significant constitutional challenge is anticipated, as the bill modifies internal congressional budget accounting rules rather than regulating private conduct or delegating new authority to an executive agency.
Checks and balances
Congress gains greater control over the framing of budget debates by setting the baseline methodology; CBO retains independence in producing projections but must now consult with Budget Committees on alternative scenarios, adding a layer of congressional influence over CBO's published outputs.
Historical precedent
The Budget Enforcement Act of 1990 and subsequent budget process legislation have repeatedly modified baseline calculation rules, including how inflation adjustments are treated, making this part of a long-running congressional debate over budget scoring methodology.