HR6569-119

What This Bill Does

The Executive Action Cost Transparency Act amends baseline calculation rules under the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act. Unless the House and Senate Budget Committee chairs direct otherwise, CBO baseline calculations and updates in required reports must include the budgetary effects of judicial actions and executive actions, including proposed rules, final rules, executive orders, and memoranda, consistent with scorekeeping practices agreed to by CBO and the Budget Committees. For covered executive actions, the department, agency, establishment, regulatory agency, or commission that promulgates or implements the action must provide the CBO Director within 10 days a list describing all written implementation documentation, internal and external guidance for affected entities or private parties, and other relevant information or data the CBO Director determines appropriate.

Who Benefits and How

Congressional Budget Committees benefit because baseline estimates would capture fiscal effects from executive and judicial actions rather than only legislation. Members of Congress benefit from more complete fiscal projections when evaluating deficits, spending, or savings. CBO analysts benefit from agency documentation and data delivered within 10 days. Public budget watchdogs benefit from more transparent treatment of executive-order, rulemaking, memorandum, and judicial-action costs.

Who Bears the Burden and How

Federal agencies, regulatory commissions, and executive-branch establishments must identify covered actions and provide documentation to CBO within 10 days. CBO scorekeepers must incorporate executive and judicial effects into baselines unless budget committee chairs direct otherwise. Agency policy offices must collect implementation guidance, data, and documentation for CBO. Budget Committee staff must coordinate scorekeeping practices and review baseline changes.

Key Provisions

• Requires CBO baseline calculations to include budgetary effects of executive and judicial actions unless Budget Committee chairs direct otherwise.
• Covers proposed rules, final rules, executive orders, memoranda, and judicial actions.
• Requires agencies to provide CBO written implementation documentation within 10 days after executive actions take effect.
• Requires agencies to include internal and external guidance plus other relevant data requested by CBO.
• Directs scorekeeping practices to be agreed to by CBO and the House and Senate Budget Committees.