President Biden Signs Boyle’s CBO Data Sharing Act Into Law

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Following unanimous, bipartisan support in the House and Senate, H.R. 7032, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) Data Sharing Act, was signed into law today by President Biden. This legislation was introduced by Pennsylvania Congressman Brendan F. Boyle, Ranking Member of the House Budget Committee, who was joined by Chairman Jodey Arrington as an original cosponsor.

“We can’t deliver results for the people we represent unless we have the facts about the challenges we face and the laws we pass to solve them,” said Ranking Member Boyle. “That’s why I wrote the CBO Data Sharing Act – and it’s why I’m glad to see President Biden sign it into law today. This law will ensure CBO has the data they need from federal agencies to keep Congress informed so we can deliver better policies and better solutions for our constituents.”

“I want to thank President Biden, Chairman Arrington, Chairman Whitehouse, and Chairman Peters for all their support. I look forward to continuing this progress with Chairman Peters’ complementary CBO Data Access Act. Most importantly, I want to thank the dedicated, hardworking staff at CBO for their service and for the support they provide to Congress every single day.”

Background:

• Each year, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) provides hundreds of cost estimates and dozens of reports to keep Congress informed on the impact of proposed legislation on the federal budget.
• In order to provide accurate estimates and information to Congress, CBO works collaboratively with federal agencies to get access to data. For example, CBO might work with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to study the impact of legislation on Medicaid payments.
• CBO sometimes experiences delays in receiving necessary data due to federal agencies concerned about the handling of sensitive data.
• By strengthening CBO’s data access authority and detailing CBO’s obligations to protect sensitive data, the CBO Data Sharing Act will enable CBO to provide Congress with more timely information.

A fact sheet on the CBO Data Sharing Act is available here and the text is available here.

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