This afternoon, the House of Representatives passed a bill to fill a long-time gap in the Congressional Budget Office's analysis of major legislative proposals: estimating the impact that new policies would have on the American economy in addition to estimating the impact on the federal budget. The bill passed by a vote of 242-179.

Three free-market organizations -- Americans for Prosperity, the American Family Business Institute, and Heritage Action for America -- released the statement below responding to the good news.

Today AFP joined a group of 16 conservative coalition partners in renewing their strong opposition to the NAT GAS Act and urging Members of Congress to reject the legislation in 2012.

H.R. 1380, introduced by Representative John Sullivan (R-OK), and S. 1863, introduced by Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), would create new and expand existing special tax treatments for the production, conversion, and sale of of natural gas-powered vehicles -- all at a time when Congress should be simplifying the tax code instead of adding more special handouts for favored interests.

Today AFP led a coalition of eight free-market organizations in sending to Capitol Hill a letter supporting the Pro-Growth Budgeting Act, H.R. 3582, introduced last month by Representative Tom Price (R-GA). AFP also endorses the Senate version of the bill, S. 1996, introduced by Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH).

“The Pro-Growth Budgeting Act is an important step in the long-overdue task of reforming the Congressional Budget Office,” AFP’s Vice President for Policy Phil Kerpen said. “For years their ‘static’ scoring model has rigged the game against tax cuts and pro-growth tax reform, while overstating the revenue raised from every proposed tax hike. The American people deserve a more complete and accurate analysis, and Congress has a responsibility to use credible scoring models when they make fiscal policy.”