H.R. 1493 would require the Department of State to designate a department official to coordinate the efforts of the federal government to protect international cultural property. The coordinator would develop strategies to reduce the illegal trade in such property and to assist countries in protecting their heritage sites and preventing looting and theft of cultural property. The coordinator would lead a committee comprising federal and nonfederal entities; that committee would submit annual progress reports to the Congress. The bill also would authorize federal agencies to enter into agreements with the Smithsonian Institution for the temporary use of the institution’s staff. Information from the department indicates that most of the bill’s requirements are already being met and that the bill would codify many current practices. CBO estimates that implementing the bill would cost less than $500,000 over the 2016-2020 period, assuming the availability of appropriated amounts.
Section 8 would direct the President to apply import restrictions to certain material from Syria with archaeological, historical, cultural, rare scientific, or religious importance. Under current law, some of that property could be imported into the United States and face customs duties. However, because the amount of such imports is expected to be small, CBO estimates that the revenue loss from the import restrictions would be less than $500,000 over the 2016-2025 period. Because enacting H.R. 1493 would affect revenues, pay-as-you-go procedures apply. Enacting the bill would not affect direct spending.
H.R. 1493 contains no intergovernmental mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) and would not affect the budgets of state, local, or tribal governments.
By applying import restrictions on certain material from Syria, H.R. 1493 would impose a private-sector mandate on importers and other entities that receive such material from shippers. Those entities would have to provide documentation certifying that importation of such items is in compliance with international law. Because the amount of such imports is expected to be small, CBO estimates that the cost of the mandate would fall well below the annual threshold established in UMRA for private-sector mandates ($154 million in 2015, adjusted annually for inflation).
