Weird how 2 U.S. Code § 904 explicitly says
Quote
At any time, CBO shall notify the Congress if—
(1)during the period consisting of the quarter during which such notification is given, the quarter preceding such notification, and the 4 quarters following such notification, CBO or OMB has determined that real economic growth is projected or estimated to be less than zero with respect to each of any 2 consecutive quarters within such period;
But I guess if we wanted to know if that's how the writers of that long lost law actually defined 'recession', we'd have to consult a panel of originalists and historical scholars. Or you know, just ask Gramm, he's still around even if Rudman and Hollings aren't. Or refer to the tapes of the bill's debate and public discourse where they explicitly defined a recession as two quarters of economic contraction and baked a provision into the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Balanced Budget Act as an escape clause in times of war or recession. Or in case of being found unconstitutional the very next year, but hey.