Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “No Bias in the Baseline Act”.
No Bias in the Baseline Act
A BILL
To clarify that the baseline is based on current laws and the assumption of continuation of current levels of discretionary appropriations, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Modification of baseline calculation
In general— Section 257 of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 907) is amended—
by striking subsection (a) and inserting the following:
“(a) In general—For any budget year, the baseline refers to a projection, based on current laws and the assumption of continuation of current levels of discretionary appropriations, of current-year levels of new budget authority, outlays, revenues, and the surplus or deficit into the budget year and the outyears based on laws enacted through the applicable date.”
in subsection (b)—
by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following:
“(1) In general—Laws providing or creating direct spending and receipts are assumed to operate in the manner specified in those laws for each such year.”
by striking paragraph (2); and
by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (2); and
in subsection (c)—
in the second sentence of paragraph (1), by striking all that follows after “current year,” through the period and inserting “excluding resources designated as an emergency requirement and any resources provided in supplemental appropriation laws.”;
by striking paragraphs (2), (3), (4), and (5);
by redesignating paragraph (6) as paragraph (2); and
by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:
“(3) No adjustment for inflation—No adjustment shall be made for inflation or for any other factor.”
Conforming amendments—
Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974— Section 202(e)(1) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 602(e)(1)) is amended—
by inserting “and” before “(B) the levels”; and
by striking “, and (C)” and all that follows through “1985”.
by striking subparagraph (G); and
by redesignating subparagraph (H) as subparagraph (G).
Sec. 3 CBO publication of alternative fiscal scenarios
Section 202(e)(1) of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 602(e)(1)) is amended by adding after the period at the end the following new sentence: “Such report shall include alternative fiscal scenarios, as deemed appropriate, prepared in consultation with the Committees on the Budget of the House of Representatives and the Senate.”.