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CBO Requests $75.8M, Plans 15 New Hires; Director Warns Tariffs Will Raise Prices
Summary
The Congressional Budget Office asked for $75.8 million for FY2026, an 8.2% increase, to fund pay and benefits, IT and cybersecurity, and 15 additional analysts. Director Swagel told the committee tariffs will raise consumer prices and said CBO uses AI in limited, controlled ways.
Director Swagel told the House Appropriations subcommittee the Congressional Budget Office requests $75,800,000 for fiscal year 2026, an 8.2% increase from FY2025, to cover pay and benefits, strengthen IT and cybersecurity, and add staff in high‑demand areas.
The request would raise CBO staffing from about 270 to 285 employees, Swagel said, with roughly $3,000,000 of the increase covering pay and benefits and about $2,800,000 to address IT and cybersecurity needs. The added positions would focus on health, macro and dynamic analysis, and national and homeland security topics, he said.
Under questioning from members, Swagel summarized CBO’s analysis of recent tariff announcements: “the price of consumer goods ... the things bought by families ... will go up,” he said, adding that tariffs “will reduce the efficiency of the economy” and tend to lower incomes and business investment. Swagel cited ongoing CBO work on tariff effects and said the office aims to provide nonpartisan cost estimates and real‑time analysis to committees as legislation advances.
Members pressed Swagel about use of artificial intelligence in CBO’s work. Swagel said CBO uses AI “in some limited ways” — for programming and summarizing external materials — but not for final analytic judgments: “The output side, no,” he said. He agreed to provide the subcommittee a report analyzing whether greater AI integration would allow CBO to change staffing levels or realize efficiencies.
Swagel told the panel CBO routinely provides provision‑by‑provision estimates for appropriation bills and statutory cost estimates before floor votes. He said the requested funds would help the office meet demand for rapid estimates and technical assistance as Congress drafts legislation.
The subcommittee did not vote on CBO’s request during the hearing. Members said they would follow up with additional questions for the record.
