No Bias in the Baseline Act

Ben Cline

Republican · VA · Representative

Source: Congress.gov · FEC

No cosponsors on record. Bills can pass without cosponsors — this often means the sponsor introduced the bill alone, either because it's a messaging bill, a chairman's mark, or simply early in the legislative cycle.

Referred to the House Committee on the Budget.

2026-04-29

Source: Congress.gov

This bill would change how Congress calculates budget baselines—the starting point used to measure whether spending proposals increase or decrease the budget. Instead of assuming spending will automatically adjust with inflation, the baseline would assume discretionary spending stays at current levels. This affects how lawmakers and budget analysts evaluate the cost of new legislation and spending proposals.

AI-assisted summary generated from the official bill metadata (title, subjects, actions) sourced from Congress.gov. Cached and reviewed. Always verify against the official text linked below.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 8569 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 8569 To clarify that the baseline is based on current laws and the assumption of continuation of current levels of discretionary appropriations, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 29, 2026 Mr. Cline introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Budget _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To clarify that the baseline is based on current laws and the assumption of continuation of current levels of discretionary appropriations, and for other purposes. 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 ``No Bias in the Baseline Act''. SEC. 2. MODIFICATION OF BASELINE CALCULATION. (a) In General.--Section 257 of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 907) is amended-- (1) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the following: ``(a) In General.--For any budget year, the baseline refers to a projection, based on current laws and the assumption of continuation of current levels of discretionary appropriations, of current-year levels of new budget authority, outlays, revenues, and the surplus or deficit into the budget year and the outyears based on laws enacted through the applicable date.''; (2) in subsection (b)-- (A) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following: ``(1) In general.--Laws providing or creating direct spending and receipts are assumed to operate in the manner specified in those laws for each such year.''; (B) by striking paragraph (2); and (C) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (2); and (3) in subsection (c)-- (A) in the second sentence of paragraph (1), by striking all that follows after ``current year,'' through the period and inserting ``excluding resources designated as an emergency requirement and any resources provided in supplemental appropriation laws.''; (B) by striking paragraphs (2), (3), (4), and (5); (C) by redesignating paragraph (6) as paragraph (2); and (D) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following: ``(3) No adjustment for inflation.--No adjustment shall be made for inflation or for any other factor.''. (b) Conforming Amendments.-- (1) Congressional budget and impoundment control act of 1974.--Section 202(e)(1) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 602(e)(1)) is amended-- (A) by inserting ``and'' before ``(B) the levels''; and (B) by striking ``, and (C)'' and all that follows through ``1985''. (2) Social security act.--Section 403(a)(3) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 603(a)(3)) is amended-- (A) by striking subparagraph (G); and (B) by redesignating subparagraph (H) as subparagraph (G). SEC. 3. CBO PUBLICATION OF ALTERNATIVE FISCAL SCENARIOS. Section 202(e)(1) of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 602(e)(1)) is amended by adding after the period at the end the following new sentence: ``Such report shall include alternative fiscal scenarios, as deemed appropriate, prepared in consultation with the Committees on the Budget of the House of Representatives and the Senate.''. <all>

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