[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 115 (Thursday, September 12, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8555-S8557]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    CBO ESTIMATES ON REPORTED BILLS

  Mr. BIDEN. Mr. President, prior to the August recess, the Committee 
on Foreign Relations reported several bills without written report. At 
the time, the Congressional Budget Office, CBO, estimates on the bills 
were not available. I ask unanimous consent that the CBO estimates on 
these bills, S. 1777, H.R. 4558, and H.R. 2121, be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                                                    U.S. Congress,


                                  Congressional Budget Office,

                                   Washington, DC, August 1, 2002.
     Hon. Joseph R. Biden, Jr.,
     Chairman, Committee on Foreign Relations,
     U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
     prepared the enclosed cost estimate for S. 1777, the 
     International Disability and Victims of Landmines, Civil 
     Strife, and Warfare Assistance Act of 2002.
       The CBO staff contacts for this estimate are Joseph C. 
     Whitehill, who can be reached at 226-2840, and Jeanne M. De 
     Sa, who can be reached at 226-9010.
           Sincerely,
                                                Barry B. Anderson,
                                   (For Dan L. Crippen, Director).
       Enclosure.
     S. 1777--International Disability and Victims of Landmines, 
         Civil Strife, and Warfare Assistance Act of 2002
       Summary: S. 1777 would authorize the President to furnish 
     assistance to individuals with disabilities in foreign 
     countries, including victims of landmines and other war 
     injuries. The bill also would authorize the Centers for 
     Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide such 
     assistance, and would authorize the Department of Veterans 
     Affairs (VA) to provide advice and expertise to U.S. agencies 
     and private voluntary agencies undertaking such programs. 
     Currently, the U.S. Agency for International Development 
     (USAID), the CDC, and VA provide some assistance in this area 
     under more general authority. CBO estimates that implementing 
     S. 1777 would cost about $4 million over the 2003-2005 
     period, assuming appropriation of the necessary amounts. 
     Because S. 1777 would not affect direct spending or receipts, 
     pay-as-you-go procedures would not apply.
       S. 1777 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector 
     mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act 
     (UMRA) and would not affect the budgets of state, local, or 
     tribal governments.
       Estimated cost to the Federal Government: For this 
     estimate, CBO assumes that the legislation will be enacted 
     near the beginning of fiscal year 2003, that the estimated 
     amounts will be appropriated each year, and that outlays will 
     follow historical spending patterns. The budgetary impact of 
     S. 1777 is shown in the following table. The costs of this 
     legislation fall within budget

[[Page S8556]]

     functions 550 (Health) and 700 (veterans benefits and 
     services).

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                         By fiscal year, in millions of
                                                   dollars--
                                      ----------------------------------
                                        2003   2004   2005   2006   2007
------------------------------------------------------------------------
              CHANGES IN SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION
 
Estimated authorization level........      2      2      0      0      0
Estimated outlays....................      1      2      1      0      0
------------------------------------------------------------------------

       Basis of estimate: S. 1777 would authorize the President to 
     furnish assistance to individuals with disabilities in 
     foreign countries, including victims of landmines and other 
     war injuries. Under more general authorities in current law, 
     USAID, the CDC, and VA provide roughly $15 million a year in 
     assistance in this area. The bill would expand current 
     programs.
       U.S. Agency for International Development.--Section 3 would 
     authorize assistance to individuals with disabilities, 
     including victims of landmines and other victims of warfare 
     and civil strife. USAID currently provides such assistance, 
     primarily through the Patrick Leahy War Victims Fund, with a 
     funding level of $10 million each year. CBO estimates that 
     under S. 1777, funding for individuals with disabilities 
     would continue at that rate.
       Centers for Disease Control.--Section 4 would authorize the 
     appropriation of such sums as may be necessary in fiscal 
     years 2003 and 2004 for the CDC to conduct programs in 
     foreign countries for individuals with disabilities, 
     including persons injured by landmines and civil strife. 
     Those programs could include research on trauma and 
     rehabilitation, evaluating treatment interventions, 
     developing medical instruction tools for responding to 
     traumatic injuries, and facilitating and training peer-
     support networks. The bill would authorize the CDC to provide 
     grants to nongovernmental organizations to carry out 
     research, prevention activities, and public awareness 
     campaigns, as well as other activities to share information 
     about research on limb loss and best practices in treatment 
     programs.
       Under current law, the CDC provides $5 million a year for 
     some of the activities authorized by the bill, most of which 
     are directed toward a network for victims of landmines. S. 
     1777 would authorize the CDC to carry out additional 
     activities such as trauma research and evaluation of medical 
     treatments. According to the CDC, those additional activities 
     would require $2 million a year in additional funding. Thus, 
     CBO estimates that the bill would increase agency spending by 
     $4 million over the 2003-2005 period, subject to 
     appropriation of the necessary amounts.
       Department of Veterans Affairs.--Section 5 would authorize 
     VA to provide advice and expertise to federal agencies and 
     technical assistance to private voluntary organizations 
     (PVOs) with respect to planning, development, operation, and 
     evaluation of landmine assistance, research, and prevention 
     programs. The VA currently provides advice to other federal 
     agencies on a nonreimbursable basis. The bill would authorize 
     VA to provide technical assistance to PVOs on a reimbursable 
     basis. Based on information from VA, CBO estimates the cost 
     and collections from providing this technical assistance 
     would be less than $500,000 a year.
       Pay-as-you-go considerations: None.
       Intergovernmental and private-sector impact: S. 1777 
     contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as 
     defined in UMRA and would not affect the budgets of state, 
     local, or tribal governments.
       Previous CBO estimate: On November 8, 2001, CBO prepared an 
     estimate for H.R. 3169, the International Disability and 
     Victims of Landmines, Civil Strife, and Warfare Assistance 
     Act of 2001, as ordered reported by the House Committee on 
     International Relations on November 1, 2001. That bill would 
     authorize the appropriation of $15 million in 2002 and 2003 
     for programs to assist individuals with disabilities, 
     including victims of landmines and other victims of warfare 
     and civil strife administered by USAID and such sums as may 
     be necessary in 2002-2004 for the CDC. H.R. 3169 also would 
     authorize VA to provide advice and expertise to federal 
     agencies and technical assistance to PVOs with respect to 
     planning, development, operation, and evaluation of landmine 
     programs. CBO's estimate of the costs associated with the CDC 
     and VA programs are the same in both bills.
       Estimate prepared by: Federal spending: USAID--Joseph C. 
     Whitehill (226-2840), CDC--Jeanne M. De Sa (226-9010), VA--
     Sam Papenfuss (226-2840); impact on state, local, and tribal 
     governments: Greg Waring (226-3220); impact on the private 
     sector: Paige Piper/Bach (226-2940).
       Estimate approved by: Peter H. Fontaine, Deputy Assistant 
     Director for Budget Analysis.
                                  ____

                                                    U.S. Congress,


                                  Congressional Budget Office,

                                  Washington, DC, August 14, 2002.
     Hon. Joseph R. Biden, Jr.,
     Chairman, Committee on Foreign Relations,
     U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
     prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 2121, the Russia 
     Democracy Act of 2002.
       If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
     pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Joseph C. 
     Whitehall, who can be reached at 226-2840.
           Sincerely,
                                                Robert A. Sunshine
                                   (For Dan L. Crippen, Director).
       Enclosure.
     H.R. 2121--Russia Democracy Act of 2002
       Summary: H.R. 2121 would expand the U.S. government's 
     authority to provide assistance to democratic institutions 
     and media in Russia and would authorize the appropriation of 
     $50 million in 2003 for programs to strengthen the rule of 
     law and an independent media in that country. (In 2002, 
     appropriations for various types of assistance to the 
     independent states of the former Soviet Union totaled $784 
     million.) Assuming the appropriation of the authorized 
     amount, CBO estimates that implementing the act would cost 
     about $50 million over the 2003-2007 period. Enacting H.R. 
     2121 would not affect direct spending or receipts; therefore, 
     pay-as-you-go procedures would not apply.
       H.R. 2121 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector 
     mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act 
     (UMRA) and would not affect the budgets of state, local, or 
     tribal governments.
       Estimated cost to the Federal Government: The estimated 
     budgetary impact of H.R. 2121 is shown in the following 
     table. The estimate assumes that the authorized amount would 
     be appropriated and that outlays would follow historical 
     spending patterns for similar activities. The costs of this 
     legislation fall within budget function 150 (international 
     affairs).

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                By fiscal year, in millions of dollars--
                               -----------------------------------------
                                 2002   2003   2004   2005   2006   2007
------------------------------------------------------------------------
              CHANGES IN SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION
 
Authorization level...........      0     50      0      0      0      0
Estimated outlays.............      0      9     21     11      5      2
------------------------------------------------------------------------

       Pay-as-you-go considerations: None.
       Intergovernmental and private-sector impact: H.R. 2121 
     contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as 
     defined in UMRA and would not affect the budgets of state, 
     local, or tribal governments.
       Previous CBO estimate: On November 6, 2001, CBO prepared an 
     estimate for H.R. 2121 as ordered reported by the House 
     Committee on International Relations on November 1, 2001. 
     That earlier version of the legislation would have authorized 
     the appropriation of $50 million in 2002.
       Estimate prepared by: Federal costs: Joseph C. Whitehill 
     (226-2840); impact on state, local, and tribal governments: 
     Greg Waring (225-3220); impact on the private sector: Paige 
     Piper/Bach (226-2940).
       Estimate approved by: Peter H. Fontaine, Deputy Assistant 
     Director for Budget Analysis.
                                  ____

                                                    U.S. Congress,


                                  Congressional Budget Office,

                                   Washington, DC, August 7, 2002.
     Hon. Joseph R. Biden, Jr.,
     Chairman, Committee on Foreign Relations,
     U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
     prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 4558, an act to 
     extend the Irish Peace Process Cultural and Training Program.
       If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
     pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Mark 
     Grabowicz, who can be reached at 226-2860.
           Sincerely,
                                                 Barry B. Anderson
                                   (For Dan L. Crippen, Director).
       Enclosure.
     H.R. 4558--An act to extend the Irish Peace Process Cultural 
         and Training Program
       Summary: The Irish Peace Process Cultural and Training 
     Program Act of 1998 (Public Law 105-319) provides 
     nonimmigrant visas for young adults from certain areas of 
     Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Those 
     individuals work or study in the United States for up to 
     three years. This program is currently scheduled to terminate 
     on October 1, 2005. H.R. 4558 would extend it until October 
     1, 2006.
       CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 4558 would cost about 
     $4 million in fiscal year 2006 for the Department of State to 
     administer this program, subject to the availability of 
     appropriations. Enacting the legislation also would affect 
     direct spending and receipts, but CBO estimates that any such 
     effects would not be significant. Because the act would 
     effect direct spending and receipts, pay-as-you-go procedures 
     would apply.
       H.R. 4558 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector 
     mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act 
     (UMRA) and would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal 
     governments.
       Estimated cost to the Federal Government: The estimated 
     budgetary impact of H.R. 4558 is shown in the following 
     table. The costs of this legislation fall within budget 
     functions 150 (international affairs) and 750 (administration 
     of justice).

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                By fiscal year, in millions of dollars--
                               -----------------------------------------
                                 2002   2003   2004   2005   2006   2007
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Spending under current law:
    Estimated authorization         4      4      4      4      0      0
     level \1\................
    Estimated outlays.........      4      4      4      4      0      0
Proposed changes:
    Estimated authorization         0      0      0      0      4      0
     level....................
    Estimated outlays.........      0      0      0      0      4      0
Spending under H.R. 4558:
    Estimated authorization         4      4      4      4      4      0
     level....................
    Estimated outlays.........      4      4      4      4      4      0
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The 2002 level is the amount appropriated for that year for the
  Irish Peace Process Cultural and Training Program. The estimated
  authorization levels for 2003 through 2005 are CBO baseline estimates.


[[Page S8557]]

       Since the program's inception, there have been about 250 
     participants each year. Thus, CBO estimates that any effects 
     on fees collected by the Immigration and Naturalization 
     Service (INS) or the State Department as a result of 
     extending the program would be insignificant. INS fees are 
     classified as offsetting receipts (a credit against direct 
     spending), and the State Department fees are classified as 
     governmental receipts (i.e., revenues).
       Pay-as-you-go considerations: The Balanced Budget and 
     Emergency Deficit Control Act specifies pay-as-you-go 
     procedures for legislation affecting direct spending and 
     receipts. Those procedures would apply to H.R. 4558 because 
     it would affect both direct spending and receipts, but CBO 
     estimates that the annual amount of such changes would not be 
     significant.
       Intergovernmental and private-sector impact: H.R. 4558 
     contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as 
     defined in UMRA and would impose no costs on state, local, or 
     tribal governments.
       Previous CBO estimate: On July 22, 2002, CBO transmitted a 
     cost estimate for H.R. 4558 as ordered reported by the House 
     Committee on the Judiciary on July 17, 2002. The two versions 
     of the legislation are identical, as are our cost estimates.
       Estimate prepared by: Federal costs: Mark Grabowicz (226-
     2860); impact on state, local, and tribal governments: Angela 
     Seitz (225-3220); impact on the private sector: Paige Piper/
     Bach (226-2960).
       Estimate approved by: Peter H. Fontaine, Deputy Assistant 
     Director for Budget Analysis.

                          ____________________