CBO's Budget and Economic Outlook, issued each January and updated each summer, serves as the basic starting point for the Congress's annual budget deliberations. It presents 10-year projections of federal spending and revenues as well as forecasts of the economy.

Each February, the President submits a budget request to the Congress outlining the Administration's priorities. CBO analyzes the President's proposals and estimates their costs for the Congress. CBO also spells out hundreds of alternatives that the Congress can consider to reduce outlays or increase revenues in the years ahead.

The Congress calls on CBO to put price tags on proposed legislation and to evaluate the economic impact of legislative mandates on state and local governments and the private sector. Those estimates can result in passage or defeat for important programs.

CBO officials and other staff frequently appear on Capitol Hill to brief Congressional staff and to testify before Congressional committees seeking input into budget and policy decisions.

Because of their expertise, CBO professionals are often invited to participate in national and international academic seminars and conferences on complex economic and budget issues.

CBO hosts a steady stream of delegations from foreign countries and U.S. universities coming to learn about the U.S. budget process and CBO's part in it.

Because of its pivotal role in the budget process, journalists, researchers, policy experts, Congressional staff, and ordinary citizens also call on the agency every day for its analyses and explanations of complex budget issues. CBO's publications are available in print or through the agency's increasingly popular Web site.