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Letter: CBO Failed To Disclose How It Underestimated Cost of Biden’s Tax-and-Spend Bill

December 16, 2021

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) underestimated the cost of at least one key provision in the Democrats’ Build Back Better Act by as much as $10 billion, according to a letter sent by Republican Leader on the House Committee on Ways and Means Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX) and Republican Leader on the Worker and Family Support Subcommittee, Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-IN) to Director Philip Swagel.

 

The letter specifically points to  the underestimated cost of a provision to expand Supplemental Security Income (SSI) to the Territories and notes the CBO failed to disclose the information. 

 

This is just one of many ways the Democrat’s $5 trillion tax-and-spending bill is not fully accounted for, despite Democrats repeated false assertions that it is “paid for.” 

 

CLICK HERE to read the full letter.

 

In the letter, the Members wrote:

 

“CBO estimated the cost of Subtitle J – to expand access to Supplemental Security Income (SSI) to residents of the Territories – would increase direct spending by $268 million over ten years.  Yet, failed to disclose a highly questionable assumption that results in as much as $10 billion in additional costs.

 

“We believe this is a significant lapse in the agency’s obligation to provide transparent analyses of budgetary provisions, resulting in a substantial under-estimate of the real cost of this provision included in the Build Back Better legislation.”

READ: CBO: Permanent Dem Tax & Spend Bill Costs About $5 TRILLION, Adds $3 Trillion to Deficit