View all text of Chapter 17 [§ 601 - § 613]
§ 601. Establishment
(a) In general
(1) There is established an office of the Congress to be known as the Congressional Budget Office (hereinafter in this chapter referred to as the “Office”). The Office shall be headed by a Director; and there shall be a Deputy Director who shall perform such duties as may be assigned to him by the Director and, during the absence or incapacity of the Director or during a vacancy in that office, shall act as Director.
(2) The Director shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate after considering recommendations received from the Committees on the Budget of the House and the Senate, without regard to political affiliation and solely on the basis of his fitness to perform his duties. The Deputy Director shall be appointed by the Director.
(3) The term of office of the Director shall be 4 years and shall expire on January 3 of the year preceding each Presidential election. Any individual appointed as Director to fill a vacancy prior to the expiration of a term shall serve only for the unexpired portion of that term. An individual serving as Director at the expiration of a term may continue to serve until his successor is appointed. Any Deputy Director shall serve until the expiration of the term of office of the Director who appointed him (and until his successor is appointed), unless sooner removed by the Director.
(4) The Director may be removed by either House by resolution.
(5)
(A) The Director shall receive compensation at an annual rate of pay that is equal to the maximum rate of pay in effect under section 4575(f) of this title.
(B) The Deputy Director shall receive compensation at an annual rate of pay that is $1,000 less than the annual rate of pay received by the Director, as determined under subparagraph (A).
(b) Personnel
(c) Experts and consultants
(d) Relationship to executive branch
(1) The Director is authorized to secure information, data, estimates, and statistics directly from the various departments, agencies, and establishments of the executive branch of Government and the regulatory agencies and commissions of the Government. All such departments, agencies, establishments, and regulatory agencies and commissions shall furnish the Director any available material which he determines to be necessary in the performance of his duties and functions (with or without written agreement) provided that the Director maintains the level of confidentiality required by law of the department, agency, establishment, or regulatory agency or commission from which it is obtained in accordance with section 603(e) of this title. The Director is also authorized, upon agreement with the head of any such department, agency, establishment, or regulatory agency or commission, to utilize its services, facilities, and personnel with or without reimbursement; and the head of each such department, agency, establishment, or regulatory agency or commission is authorized to provide the Office such services, facilities, and personnel.
(2) No provision of law enacted after September 30, 2024, shall be construed to supersede, limit, or otherwise modify the authority of the Director to obtain any material under this subsection unless such provision specifically provides, by specific reference to this paragraph, that such authority is to be superseded, limited, or otherwise modified.
(e) Relationship to other agencies of Congress
(f) Revenue estimates
(g) Authorization of appropriations
(Pub. L. 93–344, title II, § 201, July 12, 1974, 88 Stat. 302; Pub. L. 99–177, title II, § 273, Dec. 12, 1985, 99 Stat. 1098, renumbered § 201(g) of Pub. L. 93–344, Pub. L. 101–508, title XIII, § 13202(b), Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1388–615; Pub. L. 101–508, title XIII, § 13202(a), (c), Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1388–615; Pub. L. 105–33, title X, § 10102, Aug. 5, 1997, 111 Stat. 678; Pub. L. 106–113, div. B, § 1000(a)(5) [title II, § 224], Nov. 29, 1999, 113 Stat. 1536, 1501A–299; Pub. L. 108–271, § 8(b), July 7, 2004, 118 Stat. 814; Pub. L. 116–94, div. E, title II, § 212(a)(3)(B), Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 2775; Pub. L. 118–89, § 2(a), Sept. 30, 2024, 138 Stat. 1557.)