2 U.S.C. § 602 : US Code - Section 602: Duties and functions

Search 2 U.S.C. § 602 : US Code - Section 602: Duties and functions

(a) Assistance to budget committees
It shall be the primary duty and function of the Office to
provide to the Committees on the Budget of both Houses information
which will assist such committees in the discharge of all matters
within their jurisdictions, including (1) information with respect
to the budget, appropriation bills, and other bills authorizing or
providing new budget authority or tax expenditures, (2) information
with respect to revenues, receipts, estimated future revenues and
receipts, and changing revenue conditions, and (3) such related
information as such Committee may request.
(b) Assistance to Committees on Appropriations, Ways and Means, and
Finance
At the request of the Committee on Appropriations of either
House, the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of
Representatives, or the Committee on Finance of the Senate, the
Office shall provide to such Committee any information which will
assist it in the discharge of matters within its jurisdiction,
including information described in clauses (1) and (2) of
subsection (a) of this section and such related information as the
Committee may request.
(c) Assistance to other committees and Members
(1) At the request of any other committee of the House of
Representatives or the Senate or any joint committee of the
Congress, the Office shall provide to such committee or joint
committee any information compiled in carrying out clauses (1) and
(2) of subsection (a) of this section, and, to the extent
practicable, such additional information related to the foregoing
as may be requested.
(2) At the request of any committee of the Senate or the House of
Representatives, the Office shall, to the extent practicable,
consult with and assist such committee in analyzing the budgetary
or financial impact of any proposed legislation that may have - 
(A) a significant budgetary impact on State, local, or tribal
governments;
(B) a significant financial impact on the private sector; or
(C) a significant employment impact on the private sector.
(3) At the request of any Member of the House or Senate, the
Office shall provide to such Member any information compiled in
carrying out clauses (1) and (2) of subsection (a) of this section,
and, to the extent available, such additional information related
to the foregoing as may be requested.
(d) Assignment of office personnel to committees and joint
committees
At the request of the Committee on the Budget of either House,
personnel of the Office shall be assigned, on a temporary basis, to
assist such committee. At the request of any other committee of
either House or any joint committee of the Congress, personnel of
the Office may be assigned, on a temporary basis, to assist such
committee or joint committee with respect to matters directly
related to the applicable provisions of subsection (b) or (c) of
this section.
(e) Reports to budget committees
(1) On or before February 15 of each year, the Director shall
submit to the Committees on the Budget of the House of
Representatives and the Senate a report, for the fiscal year
commencing on October 1 of that year, with respect to fiscal
policy, including (A) alternative levels of total revenues, total
new budget authority, and total outlays (including related
surpluses and deficits), (B) the levels of tax expenditures under
existing law, taking into account projected economic factors and
any changes in such levels based on proposals in the budget
submitted by the President for such fiscal year, and (C) a
statement of the levels of budget authority and outlays for each
program assumed to be extended in the baseline, as provided in
section 907(b)(2)(A) of this title and for excise taxes assumed to
be extended under section 907(b)(2)(C) of this title. Such report
shall also include a discussion of national budget priorities,
including alternative ways of allocating new budget authority and
budget outlays for such fiscal year among major programs or
functional categories, taking into account how such alternative
allocations will meet major national needs and affect balanced
growth and development of the United States.
(2) The Director shall from time to time submit to the Committees
on the Budget of the House of Representatives and the Senate such
further reports (including reports revising the report required by
paragraph (1)) as may be necessary or appropriate to provide such
Committees with information, data, and analyses for the performance
of their duties and functions.
(3) On or before January 15 of each year, the Director, after
consultation with the appropriate committees of the House of
Representatives and Senate, shall submit to the Congress a report
listing (A) all programs and activities funded during the fiscal
year ending September 30 of that calendar year for which
authorizations for appropriations have not been enacted for that
fiscal year, and (B) all programs and activities for which
authorizations for appropriations have been enacted for the fiscal
year ending September 30 of that calendar year, but for which no
authorizations for appropriations have been enacted for the fiscal
year beginning October 1 of that calendar year.
(f) Use of computers and other techniques
The Director may equip the Office with up-to-date computer
capability (upon approval of the Committee on House Oversight of
the House of Representatives and the Committee on Rules and
Administration of the Senate), obtain the services of experts and
consultants in computer technology, and develop techniques for the
evaluation of budgetary requirements.
(g) Studies
(1) Continuing studies
The Director of the Congressional Budget Office shall conduct
continuing studies to enhance comparisons of budget outlays,
credit authority, and tax expenditures.
(2) Federal mandate studies
(A) At the request of any Chairman or ranking member of the
minority of a Committee of the Senate or the House of
Representatives, the Director shall, to the extent practicable,
conduct a study of a legislative proposal containing a Federal
mandate.
(B) In conducting a study on intergovernmental mandates under
subparagraph (A), the Director shall - 
(i) solicit and consider information or comments from elected
officials (including their designated representatives) of
State, local, or tribal governments as may provide helpful
information or comments;
(ii) consider establishing advisory panels of elected
officials or their designated representatives, of State, local,
or tribal governments if the Director determines that such
advisory panels would be helpful in performing responsibilities
of the Director under this section; and
(iii) if, and to the extent that the Director determines that
accurate estimates are reasonably feasible, include estimates
of - 
(I) the future direct cost of the Federal mandate to the
extent that such costs significantly differ from or extend
beyond the 5-year period after the mandate is first
effective; and
(II) any disproportionate budgetary effects of Federal
mandates upon particular industries or sectors of the
economy, States, regions, and urban or rural or other types
of communities, as appropriate.
(C) In conducting a study on private sector mandates under
subparagraph (A), the Director shall provide estimates, if and to
the extent that the Director determines that such estimates are
reasonably feasible, of - 
(i) future costs of Federal private sector mandates to the
extent that such mandates differ significantly from or extend
beyond the 5-year time period referred to in subparagraph
(B)(iii)(I);
(ii) any disproportionate financial effects of Federal
private sector mandates and of any Federal financial assistance
in the bill or joint resolution upon any particular industries
or sectors of the economy, States, regions, and urban or rural
or other types of communities; and
(iii) the effect of Federal private sector mandates in the
bill or joint resolution on the national economy, including the
effect on productivity, economic growth, full employment,
creation of productive jobs, and international competitiveness
of United States goods and services.