A United States congressional delegation has visited the Parliament of Sri Lanka as part of a coordinated technical assistance program aimed at strengthening the legislature’s ability to independently analyze government spending, economic policy, and proposed legislation. The initiative, taking place from June 8 to June 12 in Colombo, is being supported by the U.S. Embassy in Sri Lanka in collaboration with the House Democracy Partnership and the U.S. Congressional Budget Office. The engagement brings together U.S. congressional and budget experts with Sri Lankan lawmakers and parliamentary staff in a structured exchange focused on fiscal oversight and institutional development.
According to the program outline, the visiting delegation includes House Democracy Partnership Program Manager Meagan Moore alongside Congressional Budget Office experts Megan Carroll and Christi Hawley Anthony. During the week-long engagement in Colombo, they are interacting with approximately 100 Members of Parliament and parliamentary staff. The sessions are designed to share U.S. practices in delivering independent, nonpartisan analysis for budget scrutiny and public expenditure monitoring. Central to the discussions are working sessions with Members of Parliament and the staff of the Committee on Public Finance, where participants are focusing on the structure and design of a potential Parliamentary Budget Office. The exchanges also involve identifying information requirements of legislators and outlining a roadmap for building long-term institutional capacity within the Sri Lankan parliamentary system.
The Parliament of Sri Lanka, as part of broader efforts to enhance evidence-based policymaking and strengthen oversight mechanisms, is exploring the establishment of a Parliamentary Budget Office. The proposed body would provide lawmakers and parliamentary committees with independent analytical support comparable to institutions used by legislatures in other countries. In the United States, Congress relies on the Congressional Budget Office, an independent and nonpartisan institution that provides objective analysis of budgetary and economic issues. This includes cost estimates for legislation, long-term budget projections, and policy research intended to support informed legislative decision-making. Similar institutions in other jurisdictions serve to assist lawmakers in evaluating the fiscal and economic implications of proposed policies.
During the Colombo visit, CBO experts are presenting tools and lessons drawn from the U.S. legislative system, with a focus on strengthening Sri Lanka’s parliamentary oversight of budgets and public spending. The program is also framed within broader U.S. engagement in the Indo-Pacific, with the Embassy highlighting efforts to support stable, transparent, and economically resilient partners, while also fostering conditions conducive to trade, investment, and economic growth. As a continuation of this engagement, the U.S. Embassy in Sri Lanka has announced plans to sponsor an exchange program in September for a selected group of Members of Parliament, allowing them to observe governance practices in the United States firsthand.
The House Democracy Partnership is described as a bipartisan commission of the U.S. House of Representatives focused on strengthening democratic legislative institutions globally. It works directly with partner parliaments to enhance institutional capacity, improve transparency, and reinforce legislative oversight through the sharing of practices intended to support effective governance.
The U.S. Congressional Budget Office is identified as a nonpartisan federal agency that provides independent economic and budgetary analysis to the U.S. Congress. Established in 1974, it produces cost estimates for legislation, 10-year budget and economic projections, and detailed policy research, supporting lawmakers in making evidence-based fiscal decisions.
