[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 162 (Tuesday, October 11, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1039-E1040]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 COST ESTIMATE FOR H.R. 7778, THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY SEAL 
                         PROTECTION ACT OF 2022

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENNIE G. THOMPSON

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 11, 2022

  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Madam Speaker, I include in the Record 
the cost estimate prepared by the Congressional Budget Office for H.R. 
7778, the Department of Homeland Security Seal Protection 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, October 4, 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. 7778, the 
     Department of Homeland Security Seal Protection Act of 2022.

[[Page E1040]]

       If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
     pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Jeremy 
     Crimm.
           Sincerely,
                                                Phillip L. Swagel,
                                                         Director.
       Enclosure.


 H.R. 7778, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY SEAL PROTECTION ACT OF 2022,
AS REPORTED BY THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY ON JULY 28, 2022
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                          By fiscal year, millions of
                                                   dollars--
                                     -----------------------------------
                                         2023      2023-2027   2023-2032
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Direct Spending (Outlays)...........          *           *           *
Revenues............................          *           *           *
Increase or Decrease (-) in the               *           *           *
 Deficit............................
Spending Subject to Appropriation             0           0          **
 (Outlays)..........................
------------------------------------------------------------------------
* = between -$500,000 and $500,000.
** = not estimated.

       Statutory pay-as-you-go procedures apply? Yes.
       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. 7778 would create new criminal penalties for 
     individuals, organizations, or bus that use the official seal 
     of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in a manner that 
     conveys the agency's approval. Criminal fines are recorded as 
     revenues, deposited in the Department of Justice's (DOJ) 
     Crime Victims Fund, and later spent without further 
     appropriation action.
       Under current law, several federal entities, including the 
     Department of Treasury, the National Security Agency, the 
     Central Intelligence Agency, the U.S. Marshals Service and 
     the U.S. Marine Corps, have similar protections for their 
     respective seals. Based on information from DOJ regarding 
     criminal penalties charged for the fraudulent use of 
     agencies' seals, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 7778 
     would increase revenue direct spending by less than $500,000 
     over the 2023-2032 period, resulting in an insignificant 
     effect on the deficit over the same period.
       Based on conversations with DHS, CBO does not anticipate 
     that implementing H.R. would result in any additional 
     administrative costs.
       H.R. 7778 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector 
     mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and 
     would not affect the budgets of state, local, or tribal 
     governments.
       The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Jeremy Crimm. 
     The estimate was reviewed by Leo Lex, Deputy Director of 
     Budget Analysis.