S. 4372 – No Bias in the Baseline Act

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 29, 2026 at 9:50 AM UTC

The No Bias in the Baseline Act changes how the federal budget baseline is calculated. It defines the baseline as a projection based only on existing laws and the continuation of current discretionary spending, and it removes any automatic adjustments for inflation or other factors. The bill also excludes emergency and supplemental appropriations from the baseline. These changes affect the budgeting process for all federal agencies and the overall congressional budget outlook.

Key Provisions

Amends the definition of “baseline” in the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act to base projections solely on current laws and the assumption that discretionary spending will stay at current levels.
Specifies that direct spending and receipts are assumed to operate exactly as written in the laws that create them.
Excludes resources designated for emergencies and any supplemental appropriations from the baseline calculation.
Eliminates any automatic inflation or other factor adjustments from baseline projections.
Makes related technical updates to the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 and the Social Security Act to align them with the new baseline definition.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Budget.

Budget Committee

April 22, 2026

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

April 22, 2026

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Budget.

Budget Committee

April 22, 2026

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about S. 4372 on the floor

1 Republican

Sen. Bill HagertyR-TN · Apr 27, 2026

Mr. President, I understand that there is a bill at the desk that is due for a second reading. In order to place the bill on the calendar under the provisions of rule XIV, I would object to further…

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued April 22, 2026

II

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 4372

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

April 22, 2026

Mr. Marshall introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Budget

A BILL

To clarify that the baseline is based on current laws and the assumption of continuation of current levels of discretionary appropriations, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the No Bias in the Baseline Act.

2.

Modification of baseline calculation

(a)

In general

Section 257 of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 907) is amended—

(1)

by striking subsection (a) and inserting the following:

(a)

In general

For any budget year, the baseline refers to a projection, based on current laws and the assumption of continuation of current levels of discretionary appropriations, of current-year levels of new budget authority, outlays, revenues, and the surplus or deficit into the budget year and the outyears based on laws enacted through the applicable date.

;

(2)

in subsection (b)—

(A)

by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following:

(1)

In general

Laws providing or creating direct spending and receipts are assumed to operate in the manner specified in those laws for each such year.

;

(B)

by striking paragraph (2); and

(C)

by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (2); and

(3)

in subsection (c)—

(A)

in paragraph (1), in the second sentence, by striking current year and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting excluding resources designated as an emergency requirement and any resources provided in supplemental appropriation laws.;

(B)

by striking paragraphs (2), (3), (4), and (5);

(C)

by redesignating paragraph (6) as paragraph (2); and

(D)

by adding at the end the following:

(3)

No adjustment for inflation

No adjustment shall be made for inflation or for any other factor.

.

(b)

Conforming amendments

(1)

Section 202(e)(1) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 602(e)(1)) is amended—

(A)

by inserting and before (B) the levels; and

(B)

by striking , and (C) and all that follows through 1985.

(2)

Section 403(a)(3) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 603(a)(3)) is amended—

(A)

by striking subparagraph (G); and

(B)

by redesignating subparagraph (H) as subparagraph (G).