General Information

CBO's Role and Work

Contact Info

Congressional Budget Office
Ford House Office Building, 4th Floor
Second and D Streets, SW
Washington, DC 20515

Directions >

Congressional Affairs
(202) 226-2837
congressionalaffairs@cbo.gov

Media and Public Affairs
(202) 226-2602
communications@cbo.gov

Staffing and Organization

Click within the chart for descriptions, biographies, and staff listings.

Organizational Chart Associate Director, Communications Associate Director, Economic Analysis Legislative Affairs General Counsel Director Deputy Director Assistant Director, Budget Analysis Assistant Director, Financial Analysis Assistant Director, Health & Human Resources Assistant Director, Macroeconomic Analysis Assistant Director, Management, Business, & Information Services Assistant Director, Microeconomic & Financial Studies Assistant Director, National Security Assistant Director, Tax Analysis

Title II of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 spells out the procedures for appointing CBO's Director and staff and authorizes the agency's annual appropriations.

The Appointment of the Director

The Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate jointly appoint the CBO Director, after considering recommendations from the two budget committees. The term of office is four years, with no limit on the number of terms a Director may serve. Either House of Congress, however, may remove the Director by resolution.

At the expiration of a term of office, the person serving as Director may continue in the position until a successor is appointed.

The current director—Douglas W. Elmendorf—has been appointed to serve from January 22, 2009, to January 3, 2011, completing the most recent four-year term of office.

Douglas W. Elmendorf January 22, 2009 -
Peter R. Orszag January 18, 2007 - November 25, 2008
Douglas Holtz-Eakin February 5, 2003 - December 29, 2005
Dan L. Crippen February 3, 1999 - January 3, 2003
June E. O'Neill March 1, 1995 - January 29, 1999
Robert D. Reischauer March 6, 1989 - February 28, 1995
Rudolph G. Penner September 1, 1983 - April 28, 1987
Alice M. Rivlin February 24, 1975 - August 31, 1983

CBO's Staff

The Director appoints all CBO staff, including the Deputy Director, and all appointments are based solely on professional competence, without regard to political affiliation. The compensation of the Director and the Deputy Director is set by law at levels tied to the annual rate of compensation of House and Senate officers. The Director determines the compensation of all other staff.

Of CBO's total expenditures, the largest share by far is allotted to personnel. The agency currently employs about 250 people.

CBO is composed primarily of economists and public policy analysts. About 70 percent of its professional staff hold advanced degrees in either economics or public policy. For purposes of pay and employment benefits, all staff are treated as employees of the House of Representatives.

The Organization of CBO

CBO is a highly collaborative organization in which many major functions and projects involve a significant amount of cross-functional, interdivisional cooperation and consultation. Although specific divisions take a lead role in fulfilling CBO's mandates, most divisions contribute to those efforts in various ways.

The Macroeconomic Analysis Division develops the economic projections that underlie the cost estimates, budget projections, and analyses prepared by the Budget Analysis Division, the Tax Analysis Division, and the four program divisions--Financial Analysis, Health and Human Resources, Microeconomic Studies, and National Security. Those program divisions take the lead in preparing policy and program analyses requested by the Congress.

Budget estimates prepared by the Budget Analysis Division may rely on models and analyses developed by the program divisions. Analysts in the Budget Analysis Division may supply data on the budgetary impact of alternative options as part of analytic studies performed by those divisions. Coordination between the divisions helps ensure the consistency of CBO's products.