CNN's Brianna Keilar and GOP Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) clashed on Wednesday evening over whether the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office had accurately calculated the impacts of President Donald Trump's budget.
According to CBO estimates, Trump's budget will grow the federal deficit by as much as $3 trillion over the next few years. GOP members have pushed back on those estimates, saying the bill will actually reduce the federal deficit because of its spending cuts.
Burchett told Keilar that the CBO's model does not take other aspects into consideration, like future federal policy changes or economic growth, which is otherwise known as a "dynamic score."
"So you're taking issue with it?" Keilar asked, referring to the estimate.
"Yes, ma'am, I take issue with it," Burchett said, repeating a GOP line that 85% of CBO employees are Democrats. There is no evidence to support the claim.
"There are a bunch of people up here with accounting degrees that could do the math, so I think it is a waste of taxpayers' money," Burchett continued.
"In January 2024, there was a Republican who trusted the CBO so much that they introduced a resolution to require the House Clerk to read the CBO estimate of any bill," Keilar responded. "I believe that was you, sir. That was the third time you introduced that resolution."
Burchett confirmed that he introduced the resolution, which led Keilar to ask a series of pointed follow-up questions.
"But you don't like the CBO now?" Keilar shot back. "You introduced it over several years, and now you're dissing the CBO?"
"Did the bill pass?" Burchett retorted.
"You introduced it!" Keilar replied.
