Congress' attempts at budget reform: the impact of the Congressional Budget Office on the defense budget process

Abstract

This thesis assesses the impact of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) on the defense policy-making process of the Congress It provides historical "background on the compelling influences underlying legislative "budget reform and changes in the Congressional defense policy system that suggested a need for a CBO. Specifically, it analyzes the manner in which the National Security and International Affairs Division within the CBO has contributed to Congressional defense policy-making. Particular emphasis is given to the effect which the CBO has had on the defense "budget process itself, and assessment of the substantive value of its analyses and budget estimates with respect to their impact on defense policy outcomes. Extensive review of available archival data and published reports is complemented by interviews of Congressional committee staff members who have had a direct experience or working relationship with the CBO regarding defense issues. Major conclusions were that l) CBO has made a measurable policy impact on specific defense issues, and Z) the degree to which this impact is observed varies among Congressional clients and is dependent upon their specific budget orientation and needs.