Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports

                             

1. Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports

What they are: Nonpartisan policy research and analysis produced for Congress on all legislative matters.

Paid by: U.S. taxpayers via direct congressional appropriation. The CRS budget was 133.6 million in FY2023 , covering roughly 600 employees (lawyers, economists, historians, scientists, etc.).

Who commissions them: Members of Congress, congressional committees, and their staff request reports on specific topics.

Cost to the public: Free. CRS reports are now publicly available on Congress.gov. Previously (1952–2018), they were restricted to Congress only.

2. Congressional Commissions

What they are: Temporary advisory bodies established by Congress to study specific policy problems, investigate events, or commemorate individuals/groups.

Paid by: Congressional appropriations (taxpayer funds). Costs vary widely depending on:

- Whether commissioners are paid salaries or just reimbursed for travel

- Number of full-time staff (some have none; the 9/11 Commission had 80 paid employees)

- Duration (some finish in under 6 months; others take 3+ years)

- Number of hearings, meetings, and publications produced 

Who commissions them: Established by Act of Congress, with members appointed by congressional leadership.

Examples: Over 170 commissions created since the 101st Congress (1989–1990), including the 9/11 Commission and various policy study groups .

3. Government-Commissioned Consultant/Contractor Reports

What they are: Reports produced by private consulting firms (McKinsey, BCG, Deloitte, etc.) at the request of government agencies.

Paid by: Taxpayer funds through government procurement contracts.

Typical costs:

- McKinsey: Partners charge 13,000–16,000+ per day (before discounts of 66%) 

- BCG Australia Post report: 1.32 million for a 4-month project 

- Australian government: Spends 1+ billion annually on the "Big Seven" consultancies 

Who commissions them: Government departments, agencies, or ministers seeking external expertise.

Transparency issue: Many remain secret despite being publicly funded. The Australia Institute has pushed for Senate orders to make these reports public by default .

4. Government Accountability Office (GAO) Reports

What they are: Independent audits, investigations, and evaluations of federal programs.

Paid by: Congressional appropriation (700M+ annual budget, part of the 4,000 employees across CRS, CBO, and GAO combined).

Who commissions them: Congress requests GAO studies; GAO also initiates its own work.

Cost to the public: Free via GAO.gov.

5. Congressional Budget Office (CBO) Reports

What they are: Nonpartisan budgetary and economic analysis, including cost estimates for legislation.

Paid by: Congressional appropriation (taxpayer funded).

Who commissions them: Congress, particularly committees evaluating legislation.

Cost to the public: Free via CBO.gov.

Summary Table

Report Type Paid By Commissioned By Public Cost Typical Price Range

CRS Reports Taxpayers (Congress) Congress members/committees Free 133.6M annual budget

Congressional Commissions Taxpayers (Congress) Act of Congress Free Varies widely

Consultant Reports Taxpayers (agency contracts) Government agencies/ministers Often secret 10K–1M+ per report

GAO Reports Taxpayers (Congress) Congress / GAO self-initiated Free 700M annual budget

CBO Reports Taxpayers (Congress) Congress Free Part of legislative agency budget

Key Takeaway

The vast majority of government reports are paid for by taxpayers but access varies dramatically. CRS, GAO, and CBO reports are generally free and public. Consultant reports commissioned by agencies are often the most expensive per-project and frequently remain confidential despite being publicly funded — a major transparency gap that watchdogs continue to push against .

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