Rep. Cline introduces bill in U.S. House to require more transparency in Congressional Budget Office cost estimates

The new bill authored by U.S. Rep. Ben Cline in the U.S. House aims to increase transparency in how the Congressional Budget Office prepares cost estimates, according to the U.S. Congress.

H.R.8570 was introduced on April 29, 2026 during the 2026 regular session of the 119th Congress. The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill amends the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 to mandate that the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) include the effects of baseline assumptions when preparing cost estimates. Specifically, the CBO must provide a description detailing how these assumptions, as outlined in the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, influence the estimates. The requirements include quantifying the difference between the estimate with the baseline assumptions and the actual cost without them, identifying which assumption caused the difference, and explaining any programs for which these assumptions lower the budgetary cost compared to expected federal expenditures. The legislation aims to enhance clarity and transparency in the estimating process.

The bill was introduced only by Rep. Ben Cline (Republican-VA-6th District).

Since the beginning of the current session, Rep. Cline has introduced another 24 bills.

Congressional bills can originate in either the U.S. House of Representatives or the U.S. Senate, except for revenue-related measures, which must begin in the House. After introduction, bills are assigned to committees for review, hearings, amendments and debate before they can advance to a vote in each chamber. If both chambers approve identical versions, the legislation is sent to the president, who may sign it into law or veto it. Congress operates in two-year terms, with each term numbered sequentially and divided into two annual sessions. The legislative process and official bill records are maintained by the U.S. Congress and published through Congress.gov.

Benjamin Cline is a Representative from Virginia who has served in the U.S. House since January 3, 2019, after being elected as a Republican to the One Hundred Sixteenth and three succeeding Congresses. He previously served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 2002 to 2018 and worked as an assistant commonwealth’s attorney in Rockingham County from 2007 to 2013.

Cline holds a B.A. from Bates College, earned in 1994, and a J.D. from the University of Richmond Law School, which he received in 2007. Before his political career, he was a staff member for U.S. Representative Bob Goodlatte and worked as a marketing consultant.

Information in this article was obtained from the U.S. Congress. The source data can be found here.