Consistent and Uniform Treatment of Inflation Needed in Program Cost Estimates Provided to the Congress

Inflation is continually cited as a leading cause of tremendous cost growth in Government programs in recent years. The practices followed by selected Government agencies in providing for inflation in the cost estimates of long-term major programs were examined because the long-term programs proposed by the departments and agencies are not costed on a consistent and uniform basis, and it is impossible for the Congress to compare programs.