[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 38 (Wednesday, March 24, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3093-S3094]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        CBO ESTIMATE ON S. 1879

  Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, on December 9, 2003, I filed Report 108-220 
to accompany S. 1879, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to 
revise and extend provisions relating to mammography quality standards. 
At the time the report was filed, the estimates by the Congressional 
Budget Office were not available. I ask unanimous consent that a 
complete copy of the CBO estimate be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                             Cost Estimate

                                                    U.S. Congress,


                                  Congressional Budget Office,

                                    Washington, DC, March 9, 2004.
     Hon. Judd Gregg,
     Chairman, Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
         Pensions, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
     prepared the enclosed cost estimate for S. 1879, the 
     Mammography Quality Standards Reauthorization Act of 2003.
       If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
     pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Julia 
     Christensen, who can be reached at 226-9010.
           Sincerely,
                                                Elizabeth Robinson
                              (For Douglas Holtz-Eakin, Director).
       Enclosure.
     S. 1879--Mammography Quality Standards Reauthorization Act of 
         2003
       Summary: S. 1879 would reauthorize funding for programs 
     carried out under the Mammography Quality Standards Act 
     (MQSA) of 1992. (The program was last reauthorized in 1998.) 
     Authorizations for the program expired at the end of fiscal 
     year 2002 for activities not supported by user fees. The act 
     would authorize the appropriation of such sums as necessary 
     through fiscal year 2005. Assuming the appropriation of the 
     necessary amounts, CBO estimates that implementing S. 1879 
     would have no effect on costs in 2004 and would cost $17 
     million over the 2005-2009 period. The act would not affect 
     direct spending or receipts.
       S. 1879 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 S. 1879 is shown in the following table. 
     The costs fall within budget function 550 (health).

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                By fiscal year, in millions of dollars--
                               -----------------------------------------
                                 2004   2005   2006   2007   2008   2009
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION
 
MQSA Spending Under Current
 Law:
  Estimated Authorization          16      0      0      0      0      0
   Level \1\..................
  Estimated Outlays...........     16      7      2      1      *      0
Proposed Changes:
  Estimated Authorization           0     17      0      0      0      0
   Level......................
  Estimated Outlays...........      0     10      5      1      *      *
MQSA Spending Under S. 1879:
  Estimated Authorization          16     17      0      0      0      0
   Level 1....................
  Estimated Outlays...........     16     17      7      2      1      *
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The 2004 level is the amount appropriated in that year for
  activities under the Mammography Quality Standards Act but not
  supported by user fees.
* = Less than $500,000.

       Basis of Estimate: For the estimate, CBO assumes that the 
     act will be enacted in fiscal year 2004, that the necessary 
     appropriations will be provided near the start of fiscal year 
     2005, and that outlays will follow historical spending 
     patterns for the MQSA program.
       S. 1879 would authorize the appropriation of such sums as 
     necessary through 2005 for the Food and Drug Administration 
     to carry out MQSA activities that are not supported by user 
     fees. Those activities include: establishing and enforcing 
     standards for mammography facilities, accreditation bodies, 
     equipment, personnel, and quality assurance; inspecting 
     facilities run by governmental entities; and providing 
     consumer education. The act also would allow the Secretary of 
     Health and Human Services to issue a temporary renewal 
     certificate and a limited provisional certificate to 
     facilities seeking reaccreditation under certain 
     circumstances. CBO estimates that these activities could be 
     carrier out with the 2004 appropriation levels adjusted for 
     inflation. We estimate that these activities would have no 
     effect on costs in 2004 and would cost $11 million over the 
     2005-2009 period.
       In addition, S. 1879 would reauthorize the breast cancer 
     screening surveillance research grant program, administered 
     by the National Cancer Institute. The act would authorize 
     such sums as necessary for that program, at an estimated cost 
     of $6 million over the 2005-2009 period.
       The program funds research to determine the effectiveness 
     of screening programs in reducing breast cancer mortality. 
     CBO's estimate assumes continued funding at the 2004 level 
     adjusted for inflation.
       Intergovernmental and private-sector impact: S. 1879 
     contains no intergovernmental or private-sector impact as 
     defined in UMRA and would impose no costs on state, local, or 
     tribal governments.
       Estimate prepared by: Federal Costs: Julia Christenson 
     (226-9010); Impact on State,

[[Page S3094]]

     Local, and Tribal Governments: Leo Lex (225-3220); and Impact 
     on the Private Sector: Meena Fernandes (225-2593).
       Estimate approved by: Peter H. Fontaine, Deputy Assistant 
     Director for Budget Analysis.

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