Manchin Reportedly 'Stunned' by CBO's New Score for Build Back Better if Programs Made Permanent

Leah Barkoukis / Townhall Tipsheet

 

The Congressional Budget Office on Friday released a revised score for President Biden’s Build Back Better agenda, the reconciliation package loaded with social spending measures.

The new analysis, which comes at the request of Sen. Lindsey Graham and Congressman Jason Smith, looks at the trust cost of the legislation if sunset clauses are removed from major provisions.

According to the CBO’s estimates, the legislation would “increase the deficit by $3 trillion over 2022 to 2031.”

That amount includes three components: effects usually counted in CBO’s cost estimates, the effects of increased resources for tax enforcement, and effects on interest on the public debt. Under long-standing guidelines agreed to by the legislative and executive branches, estimates to be used for budget enforcement purposes include the first component but not the second and third. Read more and see video here.