[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 148 (Monday, September 23, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H5567-H5568]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE DATA ACCESS ACT

  Mr. LaTURNER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (S. 1549) to provide the Congressional Budget Office with 
necessary authorities to expedite the sharing of data from executive 
branch agencies, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                S. 1549

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Congressional Budget Office 
     Data Access Act''.

     SEC. 2. CONDITIONS OF DISCLOSURE FOR FEDERAL AGENCY 
                   INFORMATION WITH THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET 
                   OFFICE.

       Subsection (b) of section 552a of title 5, United States 
     Code (commonly known as the ``Privacy Act of 1974''), is 
     amended--
       (1) by redesignating paragraphs (11) and (12) as paragraphs 
     (12) and (13), respectively; and
       (2) by inserting after paragraph (10) the following:
       ``(11) to the Director of the Congressional Budget Office, 
     or any authorized representative of the Director, in the 
     course of performance of the duties of the Congressional 
     Budget Office;''.

[[Page H5568]]

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Kansas (Mr. LaTurner) and the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Raskin) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Kansas.


                             General Leave

  Mr. LaTURNER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on this measure.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Kansas?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. LaTURNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, the Congressional Budget Office, or CBO, is the 
legislative branch agency responsible for helping Congress accurately 
analyze the budgetary impact of proposed legislation.
  The Congressional Budget Act of 1974 authorized CBO to collect 
information and data directly from agencies. Timely access to agency 
data is necessary for CBO to produce accurate cost estimates for 
legislation and prepare other congressional reports. However, agencies 
often delay or restrict CBO's access to data. One of the most common 
reasons agencies restrict CBO's access to Federal agency data is 
because of perceived Privacy Act obstacles.
  This bill, the Congressional Budget Office Data Access Act, solves 
this problem by granting CBO the same Privacy Act exemption afforded to 
the Government Accountability Office and Congress.
  Under existing law, CBO must meet the confidentiality standards 
required of the agency that is providing the data, and this bill 
maintains that standard of confidentiality while expanding CBO's data 
access authority, such access that GAO and Congress already possess.
  CBO access to agency data is critical for the legislative branch 
agency's ability to fulfill its mission.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank my House Oversight Committee colleagues, 
Representative Grothman and Representative Mfume, for their work on the 
House companion of this legislation, H.R. 7184. I also thank House 
Budget Committee Chairman Arrington and Ranking Member Boyle and their 
staff for coordinating with the Oversight Committee on this 
legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, the CBO Data Access Act is a commonsense, good 
government bill. I commend Senator Gary Peters and Senator Susan 
Collins for introducing it on the Senate side, as well as Congressman 
LaTurner, the gentleman from Kansas, and Chairman Grothman and Ranking 
Member Mfume for sponsoring the House companion.
  The bill would accelerate the speed and improve the accuracy with 
which the CBO analyzes the budgetary consequences of proposed 
legislation by providing CBO with an exemption to the Privacy Act.
  H.R. 7032, which has passed both the House and Senate, requires CBO 
to treat any information it receives with the same level of 
confidentiality as the agency from which it is received. That is a wise 
safeguard that will work well in tandem with this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. LaTURNER. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my House colleagues to support 
this commonsense bill to support CBO in carrying out its mission, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Kansas (Mr. LaTurner) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, S. 1549.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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