Congressional Budget Office

The Congressional Budget Office is an agency of the Congress of the United States with approximately 240 employees. It was created in 1974 by the Congressional Budget and impoundment control act. The Authority decreed in the U.S. budget in 2011 had a budget of about 46.8 million U.S. dollars.

The purpose of the Authority is to examine and estimate the necessary and planned expenditure within a financial year. It thus takes over for the Congress, the same functions performed by the Office of Management and Budget for the President. In addition, the Authority determines the cost, cause the new bills. Here, the convention independent, verifiable and timely information should be provided to enable effective control of both the budget and the government's work by the executive.

The Congressional Budget Office is headed by a Director, the Pro Tempore of the Senate shall be appointed on a proposal from the budget committees of both chambers for a term of four years by the Speaker of the House and the President. Since January 2009, Douglas W. Elmendorf exercises this office. The Director shall appoint at its discretion in accordance with the qualifications of the applicants, the remaining staff of the Authority. The party affiliation is not included in the employee choice to ensure the political independence of the Authority.