Cost Estimate
H.R. 7440, Financial Services Innovation Act of 2024
September 13, 2024
As ordered reported by the House Committee on Financial Services on April 17, 2024
Cost Estimate
H.R. 8566, Mobilizing and Enhancing Georgia’s Options for Building Accountability, Resilience, and Independence Act September 13, 2024
As ordered reported by the House Committee on Foreign Affairs on July 11, 2024
Cost Estimate
Legislation considered under suspension of the Rules of the House of Representatives during the week of September 16, 2024 September 13, 2024
The Majority Leader of the House of Representatives announces bills that will be considered under suspension of the rules in that chamber. CBO estimates the effects of those bills on direct spending and revenues.
Report
Public-Private Risk Sharing in Federal Credit Programs
September 13, 2024
CBO examines ways in which the federal government and private entities share the risk involved in various federal credit programs, including those related to home mortgages, small businesses, and project financing.
Cost Estimate
S. 1624, Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act 2.0
September 13, 2024
As reported by the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions on October 4, 2023
Cost Estimate
S. 4716, Financial Management Risk Reduction Act
September 13, 2024
As ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs on July 31, 2024
Cost Estimate
S. 690, NET Act
September 13, 2024
As ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on July 31, 2024
Cost Estimate
H.R. 5646, Stop Campus Hazing Act
September 12, 2024
As ordered reported by the House Committee on Education and the Workforce on September 11, 2024
Cost Estimate
H.R. 6131, Commercial Space Act of 2023
September 12, 2024
As ordered reported by the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology on November 29, 2023
Cost Estimate
S. 1664, Healthy Families Act
September 12, 2024
As reported by the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions on July 18, 2023
Cost Estimate
S. 4776, Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2024
September 12, 2024
As ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions on July 31, 2024
Report
Student Loan Repayment, 2009 to 2019
September 12, 2024
CBO uses several measures of student loan repayment to describe borrowers’ outcomes from 2009 to 2019, before payments were suspended during the pandemic.
Cost Estimate
H.R. 4823, American FIRST Act of 2023
September 11, 2024
As reported by the House Committee on Financial Services on December 19, 2023
Cost Estimate
H.R. 7869, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer Retirement Technical Corrections Act of 2024
September 11, 2024
As ordered reported by the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability on April 10, 2024
Cost Estimate
H.R. 8340, Housing Unhoused Disabled Veterans Act
September 11, 2024
As ordered reported by the House Committee on Financial Services on May 16, 2024
Cost Estimate
H.R. 8340, Housing Unhoused Disabled Veterans Act
September 11, 2024
As ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs on July 24, 2024
Cost Estimate
S. 1171, Ending Trading and Holdings In Congressional Stocks (ETHICS) Act
September 11, 2024
As reported by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on August 1, 2024
Report
Testimony on How CBO Supports the Congress
September 11, 2024
CBO’s Director, Phillip Swagel, testifies before the House Committee on the Budget.
Report
Testimony on Social Security’s Finances
September 11, 2024
Molly Dahl, CBO's Chief of Long-Term Analysis, testifies before the Senate Committee on the Budget.
Report
The Distribution of Household Income in 2021
September 11, 2024
New policies implemented by the federal government affected transfers and taxes in 2021. The policies largely benefited lower- and middle-income households. But income inequality still increased, mainly because of realized capital gains.
Presentation
Trends in the Distribution of Household Income From 1979 to 2021
September 11, 2024
CBO regularly analyzes the distribution of income in the United States and how it has changed over time. This slide deck presents the distributions of household income, means-tested transfers, and federal taxes between 1979 and 2021.
Cost Estimate
H.R. 6862, Mineral Mining Parity Act
September 10, 2024
As ordered reported by the House Committee on Natural Resources on March 12, 2024
Report
Monthly Budget Review: August 2024
September 10, 2024
The federal budget deficit was $1.9 trillion in the first 11 months of fiscal year 2024, CBO estimates—$373 billion more than the deficit recorded during the same period last fiscal year.
Cost Estimate
S. 1570, Bottles and Breastfeeding Equipment Screening Enhancement Act
September 10, 2024
As reported by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on August 1, 2024
Cost Estimate
CBO's Estimate of Discretionary Spending Under the Continuing Appropriations and Other Matters Act, 2025
September 9, 2024
As Posted on the Website of the House Committee on Rules on September 6, 2024
Cost Estimate
H.R. 82, Social Security Fairness Act of 2023
September 9, 2024
As introduced in the House of Representatives on January 9, 2023
GAO
Military Construction:
Better Information Sharing Would Improve DOD's Oversight
GAO-24-106499
Published: Sep 16, 2024 . Publicly Released: Sep 16, 2024 .
The Department of Defense requested over $15 billion for its military construction program in FY 2025. Projects include child development centers, hangars, and more. Over the last 5 years, poor initial planning contributed to about 25% of the projects being delayed for at least a year. Our recommendations are to help DOD address this issue and others we found in our review. For example, if...
Domestic and Child Abuse:
DOD Needs to Clarify Guidance on Incident Determination Committee Notifications
GAO-24-106985
Published: Sep 16, 2024 . Publicly Released: Sep 16, 2024 .
Military committees review reported domestic or child abuse in military families to determine whether incidents meet DOD's criteria for abuse. These decisions are administrative and aren't intended to be used in legal or disciplinary proceedings, but some have been used in child custody or divorce cases. Committees must notify commanders, victims, and alleged abusers of their decisions in writing. The notifications should indicate the purpose...
Oak Ridge Mercury Cleanup:
Opportunities Exist to Enhance Risk Management and Technology Development
GAO-24-107096
Published: Sep 12, 2024 . Publicly Released: Sep 12, 2024 .
The Department of Energy said that about 700,000 pounds of mercury were released during nuclear weapons production at its site in Oak Ridge, TN. Mercury contamination is a health and environmental hazard. DOE estimates that mercury cleanup at this site could cost at least $3.2 billion and take until 2043. This Q&A covers how these estimates could grow due to DOE's risk management approach. For...
SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL FOR GAO-24-106843:
Strengthening Federal Government Coordination to Help Families with Disabilities Access Child Care
GAO-24-107735
Published: Sep 12, 2024 . Publicly Released: Sep 12, 2024 .
Millions of U.S. families include a child or parent with a disability. We reported that certain agencies have resources to help, but many parents are unaware of them. This is an "Easy Read" version of our report. Easy Read is a way some groups make their written information easier to understand. For example, Easy Read documents use short sentences and plain language. They also put...
International Infrastructure Projects:
China's Investments Significantly Outpace the U.S., and Experts Suggest Potential Improvements to the U.S. Approach
GAO-24-106866
Published: Sep 12, 2024 . Publicly Released: Sep 12, 2024 .
China's Belt and Road Initiative is the world's largest infrastructure finance program. It has funded roads, ports, and other projects around the world, and has expanded China's influence. We found: From 2013-2021, China provided $679 billion for infrastructure projects in transportation, energy, and three other sectors, while the U.S. provided $76 billion in the same sectors China's infrastructure projects had some benefits for host countries...
Child Care Accessibility:
Agencies Can Further Coordinate to Better Serve Families with Disabilities
GAO-24-106843
Published: Sep 12, 2024 . Publicly Released: Sep 12, 2024 .
We also published an " Easy Read" version of this report. Easy Read is a way of making written information easier to understand. We published the Easy Read version to make our report more accessible to certain people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Millions of U.S. families include a child or parent with a disability. Many families struggle to find quality care for their children...
Released on Sep 11, 2024
Behavioral Health:
Information on Cost-Sharing in Medicare and Medicare Advantage
GAO-24-106794
Published: Sep 11, 2024 . Publicly Released: Sep 11, 2024 .
Behavioral health conditions were estimated to affect at least a quarter of the 66.7 million Medicare beneficiaries in 2023. There have been longstanding concerns about behavioral health services accessibility, even for those with health coverage. This report describes what behavioral health benefits are available under Medicare and Medicare Advantage programs, what beneficiaries pay out of pocket, and more. For example, in traditional Medicare in 2024...
Defense Budget:
Additional Information about Military Personnel Realignments Would Facilitate Congressional Oversight
GAO-24-106979
Published: Sep 11, 2024 . Publicly Released: Sep 11, 2024 .
The Department of Defense receives billions of dollars each year to pay for service members' wages, housing, and more. Congress sets the amount of this "Military Personnel" appropriation. But DOD can realign the funds—e.g., transfer them from one account to another. From FY 2013 through 2023, DOD realigned $32.9 billion, resulting in a decrease of $5.4 billion in funds for military personnel. DOD reports realignments...
Digital Surveillance of Workers:
Tools, Uses, and Stakeholder Perspectives
GAO-24-107639
Published: Aug 28, 2024 . Publicly Released: Sep 11, 2024 .
In 2023, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy asked for public comments on employers' use of digital surveillance to monitor workers' activities. We reviewed the 217 comments from workers, unions, tech developers, and others. Commentors noted that cameras and monitoring software are frequently used to track productivity, performance, safety and health, and security. They offered differing views on how these tools affect...
Work Hours and Health:
Research Shows That Very Long Hours May Modestly Increase the Risk of Certain Health Outcomes
GAO-24-106772
Published: Sep 11, 2024 . Publicly Released: Sep 11, 2024 .
The nation's workers have a variety of work schedules—and some work long hours by choice or necessity. But there have been concerns about how long work hours affect workers' health. A 2022 law includes a provision for us to study trends in work hours. Among other things, we found that: Average U.S. work hours have stayed at around 38 to 39 hours per week since...
Federal Real Property:
Actions Needed to Better Assess Office Sharing Pilot's Broader Applicability
GAO-24-106919
Published: Sep 11, 2024 . Publicly Released: Sep 11, 2024 .
The federal government spends about $8 billion yearly to operate, maintain, and lease office space. The pandemic changed how often employees use this office space, as many employees now work away from the office. In response, GSA launched a federal coworking pilot where agencies share office space and services in six buildings across the country. GSA identified and included many agencies' coworking needs—such as private...
Critical Materials:
Action Needed to Implement Requirements That Reduce Supply Chain Risks
GAO-24-107176
Published: Sep 10, 2024 . Publicly Released: Sep 10, 2024 .
Critical materials are elements, metals, and more that aren't available in sufficient quantities from U.S. sources but are essential building blocks for weapon systems. DOD manages the National Defense Stockpile, which includes a reserve of these materials. A 2019 law prohibited sales from the stockpile to certain adversary nations—unless sales are in the national interest. In this Q&A, we reported that DOD hasn't fully implemented...
Environmental Sustainability:
DOD Should Take Actions to Reduce Single-Use Plastics
GAO-24-106823
Published: Sep 10, 2024 . Publicly Released: Sep 10, 2024 .
Plastic products account for up to 80% of waste that ends up in the environment. Federal agencies must reduce single-use plastic products—such as bags, cutlery, and product packaging—according to instructions from the White House for implementing an executive order. However, we found that DOD has not taken actions in response to the instructions. DOD officials said they were unsure about how to identify single-use plastics...
Emergency Relief Program 2022:
FSA Should Publicly Report Progress in Issuing Payments
GAO-24-107345
Published: Sep 10, 2024 . Publicly Released: Sep 10, 2024 .
Farmers and ranchers who experienced crop or other losses from natural disasters in 2022 could receive relief from the Department of Agriculture's Emergency Relief Program. USDA's Farm Service Agency manages the program. We sent this management letter to the Secretary of Agriculture to raise an issue we found in our ongoing audit. As of March 19, 2024, FSA issued payments for about a third of...
National Defense Stockpile:
Actions Needed to Improve DOD's Efforts to Prepare for Emergencies
GAO-24-106959
Published: Sep 10, 2024 . Publicly Released: Sep 10, 2024 .
World conflicts and other emergencies can disrupt supply chains for materials that the military and U.S. industries depend on—such as titanium, a strong, lightweight metal that helps prevent corrosion in weapon systems. To prepare for such emergencies, DOD maintains a stockpile of these kinds of materials. DOD has processes to manage this stockpile and identify which critical materials to include. But DOD doesn't have the...
Payment Integrity:
Significant Improvements Are Needed to Address Improper Payments and Fraud
GAO-24-107660
Published: Sep 10, 2024 . Publicly Released: Sep 10, 2024 .
To safeguard federal funds, it's critical to reduce fraud and improper payments—payments that should not have been made or were made in an incorrect amount. We estimated that the federal government could lose between $233 billion and $521 billion annually to fraud alone. We testified that agencies have made progress in implementing our recommendations to address fraud and improper payments but need to do more...
Navy Readiness:
Actions Needed to Improve Support for Sailor-Led Maintenance
GAO-24-106525
Published: Sep 9, 2024 . Publicly Released: Sep 9, 2024 .
Navy sailors maintain the ships that are needed to keep the U.S. safe and the seas open for world commerce. But the Navy faces a range of challenges that hinder sailors' ability to complete maintenance work: There aren't always enough sailors available—and the Navy doesn't track and report data that could help it better oversee personnel assignments Newer sailors might not be fully prepared for...
Nuclear Waste Cleanup:
Adopting Leading Practices Could Strengthen DOE's Engagement with Stakeholders and Governments
GAO-24-106014
Published: Sep 9, 2024 . Publicly Released: Sep 9, 2024 .
For decades, the Department of Energy's Office of Environmental Management has been cleaning up communities contaminated by nuclear weapons production and research. But these efforts have had a history of problems that undermined public trust. The Office has no national guidance for how cleanup sites should engage with stakeholders and governments. Engagement plans at some individual sites may be outdated. And leadership turnover at some...
IRS Workforce:
Actions Needed to Address Barriers to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility
GAO-24-105785
Published: Sep 9, 2024 . Publicly Released: Sep 9, 2024 .
The IRS seeks an inclusive workforce that reflects the nation's diversity. With about 90,000 employees, IRS is more diverse than the national civilian labor force in representing women, employees from historically disadvantaged racial or ethnic groups, people with disabilities, and veterans. But diversity is largely concentrated in lower ranks and jobs without senior-level advancement potential. And these employees often face lower chances for promotions, lower...
Artificial Intelligence:
Agencies Are Implementing Management and Personnel Requirements
GAO-24-107332
Published: Sep 9, 2024 . Publicly Released: Sep 9, 2024 .
Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing the world and could improve government operations. For example, federal agencies are already using AI to analyze weather hazards. In October 2023, an Executive Order was issued to guide a coordinated approach to safely developing and using AI in government. It includes over 100 requirements with eight guiding principles like advancing equity and protecting privacy. We looked at 13 requirements...
IASB