The "No Bias in the Baseline Act" significantly revises how the federal budget baseline is calculated, defining it as a projection based on current laws and the continuation of current levels of discretionary appropriations . This legislation explicitly removes previous assumptions that discretionary spending would automatically increase with inflation or other economic growth factors, mandating that no adjustment shall be made for inflation or any other factor in these projections. Furthermore, the bill clarifies that resources designated as an emergency requirement and those provided in supplemental appropriation laws are to be excluded from the baseline calculation. These changes aim to provide a more static and less growth-oriented projection for future discretionary spending, reflecting only currently enacted levels. Conforming amendments are also made to other relevant acts to align with these new baseline calculation rules.
The "No Bias in the Baseline Act" significantly revises how the federal budget baseline is calculated, defining it as a projection based on current laws and the continuation of current levels of discretionary appropriations . This legislation explicitly removes previous assumptions that discretionary spending would automatically increase with inflation or other economic growth factors, mandating that no adjustment shall be made for inflation or any other factor in these projections. Furthermore, the bill clarifies that resources designated as an emergency requirement and those provided in supplemental appropriation laws are to be excluded from the baseline calculation. These changes aim to provide a more static and less growth-oriented projection for future discretionary spending, reflecting only currently enacted levels. Conforming amendments are also made to other relevant acts to align with these new baseline calculation rules.