[United States Government Manual] [June 01, 2008] [Pages 61-65] [From the U.S. Government Printing Office, www.gpo.gov][[Page 61]] CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE Second and D Streets SW., Washington, DC 20515 Phone, 202-226-2600. Internet, www.cbo.gov. Director Peter R. Orszag Deputy Director Robert A. Sunshine Special Assistant to the Director Edward Davis General Counsel Robert P. Murphy Assistant Director for Management, Business, and Stephen A. Weigler Information Services Associate Director for Communications Melissa Merson Assistant Director for Budget Analysis Pete Fontaine Assistant Director for Health and Human Bruce Vavrichek Resources Assistant Director for Macroeconomic Analysis Robert A. Dennis Assistant Director for Microeconomic Studies Joseph Kile Assistant Director for National Security J. Michael Gilmore Assistant Director for Tax Analysis G. Thomas Woodward ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Congressional Budget Office provides the Congress with economic analyses of alternative fiscal, budgetary, and programmatic policy issues, and with information and estimates required for the congressional budget process. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) was established by the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 601), which also created a procedure by which the United States Congress considers and acts upon the annual Federal budget. This process enables the Congress to have an overview of the Federal budget and to make overall decisions regarding spending and taxing levels and the deficit or surplus these levels incur. Activities Economic Forecasting and Fiscal Policy Analysis The Federal budget affects and is affected by the national economy. The Congressional Budget Office provides the Congress with biannual forecasts of the economy and analyses of economic trends and alternative fiscal policies. Scorekeeping Under the budget process, the Congress establishes (by concurrent resolution), targets for overall expenditures, budget authority and budget outlays, and broad functional categories. The Congress also establishes targets for the levels of revenues, the deficit or surplus, and the public debt. The Office ``keeps score'' for the Congress by monitoring the results of congressional action on individual authorization, appropriation, and revenue bills against the targets specified in the concurrent resolution. Cost Projections The Office prepares multiyear cost estimates for carrying out any public bill or resolution reported by congressional committees. As soon as practicable after the beginning of each fiscal year, CBO also provides multiyear projections on the costs of continuing current Federal spending and taxation policies. Annual Report on the Budget The Office is responsible for submitting to the House and Senate Budget Committees each year a report on fiscal policy that includes alternative spending and revenue levels and baseline projections of the Federal budget. Federal Mandates To better assess the impact of laws on State, local, and tribal governments and the private sector, the Congress passed the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995. The act amends the Congressional Budget Act to require CBO to give authorizing committees a statement about whether reported bills contain Federal mandates. If the 5-year direct costs of an intergovernmental or private-sector mandate exceed specified [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] T214669.007 [[Page 63]] thresholds, CBO must provide an estimate of those costs (if feasible) and the basis of the estimate. Budget-Related Studies The Office undertakes studies requested by the Congress on budget-related areas. This service is provided to the House and Senate Budget Committees, House and Senate Appropriations Committees, Senate Finance Committee, House Ways and Means Committee, and all other congressional committees. For further information, contact the Management, Business, and Information Services Division, Congressional Budget Office, Second and D Streets SW., Washington, DC 20515. Phone, 202-226-2600. Fax, 202-226- 2714. Internet, www.cbo.gov. [[Page 65]] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ EDITORIAL NOTE: The Supreme Court of the United States did not meet the publication deadline for submitting updated information of its activities, functions, and sources of information. ------------------------------------------------------------------------