2 U.S.C. § 601 : US Code - Section 601: Establishment

Search 2 U.S.C. § 601 : US Code - Section 601: Establishment

(a) In general
(1) There is established an office of the Congress to be known as
the Congressional Budget Office (hereinafter in this chapter
referred to as the "Office"). The Office shall be headed by a
Director; and there shall be a Deputy Director who shall perform
such duties as may be assigned to him by the Director and, during
the absence or incapacity of the Director or during a vacancy in
that office, shall act as Director.
(2) The Director shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House
of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate
after considering recommendations received from the Committees on
the Budget of the House and the Senate, without regard to political
affiliation and solely on the basis of his fitness to perform his
duties. The Deputy Director shall be appointed by the Director.
(3) The term of office of the Director shall be 4 years and shall
expire on January 3 of the year preceding each Presidential
election. Any individual appointed as Director to fill a vacancy
prior to the expiration of a term shall serve only for the
unexpired portion of that term. An individual serving as Director
at the expiration of a term may continue to serve until his
successor is appointed. Any Deputy Director shall serve until the
expiration of the term of office of the Director who appointed him
(and until his successor is appointed), unless sooner removed by
the Director.
(4) The Director may be removed by either House by resolution.
(5)(A) The Director shall receive compensation at an annual rate
of pay that is equal to the lower of - 
(i) the highest annual rate of compensation of any officer of
the Senate; or
(ii) the highest annual rate of compensation of any officer of
the House of Representatives.
(B) The Deputy Director shall receive compensation at an annual
rate of pay that is $1,000 less than the annual rate of pay
received by the Director, as determined under subparagraph (A).
(b) Personnel
The Director shall appoint and fix the compensation of such
personnel as may be necessary to carry out the duties and functions
of the Office. All personnel of the Office shall be appointed
without regard to political affiliation and solely on the basis of
their fitness to perform their duties. The Director may prescribe
the duties and responsibilities of the personnel of the Office, and
delegate to them authority to perform any of the duties, powers,
and functions imposed on the Office or on the Director. For
purposes of pay (other than pay of the Director and Deputy
Director) and employment benefits, rights, and privileges, all
personnel of the Office shall be treated as if they were employees
of the House of Representatives.
(c) Experts and consultants
In carrying out the duties and functions of the Office, the
Director may procure the temporary (not to exceed one year) or
intermittent services of experts or consultants or organizations
thereof by contract as independent contractors, or, in the case of
individual experts or consultants, by employment at rates of pay
not in excess of the daily equivalent of the highest rate of basic
pay payable under the General Schedule of section 5332 of title 5.
(d) Relationship to executive branch
The Director is authorized to secure information, data,
estimates, and statistics directly from the various departments,
agencies, and establishments of the executive branch of Government
and the regulatory agencies and commissions of the Government. All
such departments, agencies, establishments, and regulatory agencies
and commissions shall furnish the Director any available material
which he determines to be necessary in the performance of his
duties and functions (other than material the disclosure of which
would be a violation of law). The Director is also authorized, upon
agreement with the head of any such department, agency,
establishment, or regulatory agency or commission, to utilize its
services, facilities, and personnel with or without reimbursement;
and the head of each such department, agency, establishment, or
regulatory agency or commission is authorized to provide the Office
such services, facilities, and personnel.
(e) Relationship to other agencies of Congress
In carrying out the duties and functions of the Office, and for
the purpose of coordinating the operations of the Office with those
of other congressional agencies with a view to utilizing most
effectively the information, services, and capabilities of all such
agencies in carrying out the various responsibilities assigned to
each, the Director is authorized to obtain information, data,
estimates, and statistics developed by the Government
Accountability Office,(!1) and the Library of Congress, and (upon
agreement with them) to utilize their services, facilities, and
personnel with or without reimbursement. The Comptroller
General,(!1) and the Librarian of Congress are authorized to
provide the Office with the information, data, estimates, and
statistics, and the services, facilities, and personnel, referred
to in the preceding sentence.
(f) Revenue estimates
For the purposes of revenue legislation which is income, estate
and gift, excise, and payroll taxes (i.e., Social Security),
considered or enacted in any session of Congress, the Congressional
Budget Office shall use exclusively during that session of Congress
revenue estimates provided to it by the Joint Committee on
Taxation. During that session of Congress such revenue estimates
shall be transmitted by the Congressional Budget Office to any
committee of the House of Representatives or the Senate requesting
such estimates, and shall be used by such Committees in determining
such estimates. The Budget Committees of the Senate and House shall
determine all estimates with respect to scoring points of order and
with respect to the execution of the purposes of this Act.
(g) Authorization of appropriations
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Office for each
fiscal year such sums as may be necessary to enable it to carry out
its duties and functions. Until sums are first appropriated
pursuant to the preceding sentence, but for a period not exceeding
12 months following the effective date of this subsection, the
expenses of the Office shall be paid from the contingent fund of
the Senate, in accordance with section 68 of this title, and upon
vouchers approved by the Director.