Description:
H.R. 2930 would make it a federal crime to export Native American cultural items, archaeological resources, and objects of antiquity without proper authorization and would require exporters to obtain an export certification. Federal agencies would need to convene working groups to reduce trafficking and encourage repatriation of cultural heritage items. The bill also would direct the Department of the Interior (DOI) and the Department of State to designate liaisons to facilitate voluntary returns of unlawfully acquired items. Those agencies would provide training to tribal organizations, collectors, and dealers concerning the new prohibitions. H.R. 2930 would authorize the appropriation of $3 million annually over the 2022-2027 period to carry out the bill’s requirements. CBO assumes that the bill will be enacted late in calendar year 2021. Based on spending patterns for similar activities, CBO estimates, implementing H.R. 2930 would cost about $13 million over that period (and $5 million after 2026), assuming appropriation of the authorized amounts. In addition, H.R. 2930 would authorize DOI to charge fees to cover the costs of issuing export certifications. Those fees would be recorded as revenues and could be spent without appropriation. CBO expects the number of applications to be small and that the amount of fees collected and spent would be insignificant in each year. People who violate the bill’s provisions could be subject to criminal fines. Criminal fines are recorded as revenues, deposited in the Crime Victims Fund, and later spent without further appropriation. CBO expects that any additional revenues and subsequent direct spending would not be significant because the legislation would probably affect only a small number of cases.
