[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 107 (Thursday, June 23, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E667]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




COST ESTIMATE FOR H.R. 7174, THE NATIONAL COMPUTER FORENSICS INSTITUTE 
                      REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2022

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENNIE G. THOMPSON

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 23, 2022

  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Madam Speaker, I include in the Record 
the cost estimate prepared by the Congressional Budget Office for H.R. 
7174, the National Computer Forensics Institute Reauthorization Act of 
2022. The cost estimate was not available at the time of the Committee 
report filing.
                                                    U.S. Congress,


                                  Congressional Budget Office,

                                    Washington, DC, June 23, 2022.
     Hon. Bennie G. Thompson,
     Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security,
     House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
     prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 7174, the 
     National Computer Forensics Institute Reauthorization Act of 
     2022.
       If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
     pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Madeleine 
     Fox.
           Sincerely,
                                                Phillip L. Swagel,
                                                         Director.
       Enclosure.


 H.R. 7174, NATIONAL COMPUTER FORENSICS INSTITUTE REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF
  2022, AS REPORTED BY THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY ON JUNE
                                17, 2022
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                          By fiscal year, millions of
                                                   dollars--
                                     -----------------------------------
                                         2022      2022-2027   2022-2032
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Direct Spending (Outlays)...........          0           0           0
Revenues............................          0           0           0
Increase or Decrease (-) in the               0           0           0
 Deficit............................
Spending Subject to Appropriation             0         227         502
 (Outlays)..........................
------------------------------------------------------------------------

       Statutory pay-as-you-go procedures apply? No.
       Increases on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 
     10-year periods beginning in 2033? No.
       Mandate Effects:
       Contains intergovernmental mandate? No.
       Contains private-sector mandate? No.
       H.R. 7174 would reauthorize the National Computer Forensics 
     Institute at the Department of Homeland Security through 
     fiscal year 2032. The current authorization for this program 
     expires at the end of fiscal year 2022. The bill would 
     require the institute to update its curriculum to include 
     investigating cybersecurity incidents, conducting forensic 
     examinations, and using digital evidence in court. Also, the 
     bill would require the institute to analyze how it could 
     expand its capacity and to report to the Congress on its 
     activities.
       The Congress appropriated $43 million for the institute in 
     2022. Using historical spending patterns and adjusting for 
     inflation, CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 7174 would cost 
     $227 million over the 2022-2027 period and an additional $275 
     million after 2027; such spending would be subject to the 
     availability of appropriated funds.
       The costs of the legislation, detailed in Table 1, fall 
     within budget function 750 (administration of justice).

               TABLE 1.--ESTIMATED INCREASES IN SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION UNDER H.R. 7174
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                              By fiscal year, millions of dollars--
                                                ----------------------------------------------------------------
                                                   2022     2023     2024     2025     2026     2027   2022-2027
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
National Computer Forensics Institute:
    Estimated Authorization....................        0       44       45       47       48       50       235
    Estimated Outlays..........................        0       38       45       47       48       50       227
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Components may not sum to totals because of rounding.


       The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Madeleine Fox. 
     The estimate was reviewed by Leo Lex, Deputy Director of 
     Budget Analysis.