H.R. 2285 would require the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to designate certain officials to coordinate the department’s efforts to protect international cultural property and develop strategies to reduce the illegal trade in such property. The legislation also would authorize DHS agencies to enter into agreements with the Smithsonian Institution for the temporary use of the institution’s staff. Information from DHS indicates that many of the bill’s requirements are already being met; thus, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 2285 would cost less than $500,000 annually. Such spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.
Enacting the legislation would not affect direct spending or revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply.
CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 2285 would not increase net direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2027.
H.R. 2285 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.
On December 9, 2015, CBO transmitted a cost estimate for H.R. 2285, as ordered reported by the House Committee on Homeland Security on November 4, 2015. The two versions of the bill are similar and CBO’s estimates of the budgetary effects are the same.
