CBO Show Your Work Act

The CBO Show Your Work Act would require the Congressional Budget Office to make publicly available the fiscal models, policy models, and data preparation routines it uses when estimating how proposed legislation would affect the economy and government finances. This transparency requirement would apply to all cost estimates the CBO produces for Congress.

Under this bill, the CBO would need to disclose the data, computer programs, models, assumptions, and computational details used in each estimate in enough detail that outside researchers could replicate the analysis. For sensitive data that cannot be publicly released, the CBO would instead provide a complete list of data variables, statistical summaries where permitted, references to laws restricting disclosure, and contact information for accessing the restricted data.

If enacted, this bill could increase transparency in how Congress evaluates the fiscal impact of proposed legislation, allowing lawmakers and the public to better understand and potentially challenge the assumptions underlying CBO cost estimates. The bill is currently in committee and has not yet been voted on by the full House.