Chairman Arrington Calls for Independent Audit of the Congressional Budget Office in Opening Statement at Oversight Hearing
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, Chairman Jodey Arrington (R-Texas) delivered the following opening remarks at the “Oversight of the Congressional Budget Office” hearing.
Remarks as delivered:
“Given our nation's unsustainable fiscal trajectory, it's never been more important for the CBO, the Congressional Budget Office, to achieve excellence in its mission to provide the most accurate, timely, and transparent information and analysis to Congress and the American people—in order to meet this critical mandate and avoid the CBO being reduced to a political piñata. Ever felt like that, Phil? Or being used as a scapegoat or excuse for both parties’ irresponsible fiscal decisions?
We must have independent scrutiny over its practices, methods, and operations. The stakes are too high and the consequences too severe to fail in this important endeavor.
It's not just our responsibility; it's our sacred trust. And that's why we are here today. And folks, I can't think of a more fundamental responsibility and sacred duty to the American people in our capacity on this Committee—other than resourcing the federal government.
Glad we're all back to work doing the people's business—after a brief hiatus—the oversight, the Article One oversight and accountability of the programs and their effectiveness. The agencies and their cost-effective operations, and the overall mission to serve the American people. Every agency and every department and every program should have a mission to provide for the general welfare of the public. And so, we take this oversight responsibility seriously. And that's one thing that, Phil, I endeavored to do when I got the gavel and the awesome responsibility to lead this group of men and women.
My time is going to come to a close before I know it. And I hope whether it's on this side of the aisle or that side of the aisle, we continue to provide the necessary scrutiny to continuously improve as a Committee and as a Congressional Budget Office in our mission.
Speaking of the CBO's mission, Phil, y'all are central to what we do. Lawmaking is not much more in my mind than a set of value propositions and tradeoffs. That cost benefit analysis that we do with those value propositions is done according to, by, and with the information and analysis that the Congressional Budget Office provides us. That's why it's essential that we get good information and timely information, so that we can make these decisions on behalf of the American people.
Your mission is a righteous one, and it is an essential one in the governance of our country. Dr. Swagel, you are a man of integrity. We've worked together now for over a couple of years. It's been a delight. You were very responsive. You and your team during the most recent herculean endeavor, which was the One Big Beautiful Bill—I'm proud that this Committee shepherded through the House. You and your team were, in my humble opinion, and at least in my interaction, extremely responsive and professional and diligent. And I'm grateful for that. You have a tough job, and you're scrutinized and criticized—sometimes unjustly. As I said, I think politicians on both sides will use you as an excuse for their political interest.
Then there are those times that warrant the criticism, and we need to be able to, as a Committee, cut through the politics and the partisanship and figure out where we can do a better job, where you and your team can do a better job.
That's why I'll end with this: I can't imagine any organization achieving that standard of excellence and having a culture of continuous improvement without an independent audit.
We don't have the expertise. Every other agency and department in the federal government is subjected to, not just financial audits, but also operations and programmatic. The data breach that we are all concerned about, I think you manage that very well. But we need a holistic, independent, and objective evaluation so we can cut through that partisanship that is in play every time you render a decision. Then we can feel better about the outcomes for our judgments, our decisions, and in service to the American people. I'm hoping you will embrace that.
I'm not going to force you to do it. I'm not going to force my ranking member to embrace it. I just can't think of any reason. In fact, I’ll let my ranking member pick the group—the outside auditor. I'd let you pick it. I just want a competent, independent assessment so that we can then be able to make market improvements.
I talked to a former CBO director who said you all had made tremendous, I think the words he used were: ‘strides in transparency in your modeling.’ So, I appreciate and know that you are committed to this. But I do think there's a big hole in this oversight. And it could be filled with an independent audit.
With that, I yield to my ranking member for as much time as he may require.”
