H.R. 4404 would require the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to develop and carryout national exercises to evaluate the nation’s preparedness against the threat of foreign fighters and terrorists. Based on information from FEMA, CBO estimates that implementing the legislation would not affect the federal budget over the 2017-2021 period because the new exercises would be integrated into existing programs.
Because enacting H.R. 4404 would not affect direct spending or revenues, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply. CBO also estimates that enacting the bill would not increase net direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2027.
Under current law, at least every two years, the agency conducts a national exercise to evaluate the preparedness of federal, state, local, and tribal governments to respond to catastrophic events—including acts of terrorism—in a coordinated manner. The agency received an appropriation of $112 million in fiscal year 2016 for such activities including education and training efforts related to the ability to respond to emergencies.
Under the bill, the agency would develop and conduct an exercise to test the ability to respond to the threat of persons leaving the United States to join or provide material support to terrorist organizations or of foreign fighters attempting to enter the United States. The agency also would be required to integrate those exercises into the national exercises carried out every two years under current law. Based on information from FEMA, CBO estimates that the agency would develop and integrate the new exercises into existing preparedness activities and would incur no significant additional costs.
H.R. 4404 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.
