Description:
H.R. 2285 would require the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to designate certain officials to coordinate department 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.
Because enacting the legislation would not affect direct spending or revenues, 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 2026.
H.R. 2285 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.
On May 6, 2015, CBO transmitted a cost estimate for H.R. 1493, the Protect and Preserve International Cultural Property Act, as ordered reported by the House Committee on Foreign Affairs on April 23, 2015. The bills are similar and both would require efforts to protect international cultural property; H.R. 2285 would affect the Department of State and H.R. 2285 would affect DHS. CBO’s estimates of the budgetary effects are similar for both bills.
