[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 4]
[Senate]
[Page 5640]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




           CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE COST ESTIMATE--S. 627

  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the CBO cost 
estimate regarding S. 627 be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                    S. 627--Faster FOIA Act of 2011

       S. 627 would establish a commission to identify methods for 
     reducing delays in processing requests under the Freedom of 
     Information Act (FOIA). The commission also would investigate 
     a recent increase in the number of exemptions from FOIA that 
     federal agencies have issued to prevent the release of 
     information. The 12-member commission would have one year to 
     report its findings and recommendations to the Congress. 
     Members would be appointed within 60 days of enactment of the 
     legislation and would serve without pay but would be 
     reimbursed for travel expenses. The commission would 
     terminate 30 days after submitting its final report. The 
     National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) would 
     provide support to the commission, and the General Services 
     Administration would administer any travel expenses.
       Assuming appropriation of the necessary amounts, CBO 
     estimates that implementing S. 627 would cost about $1 
     million, mostly in fiscal year 2012. That estimate includes 
     the cost of preparing the report and paying the salaries and 
     expenses of 10 employees provided by NARA. Enacting the 
     legislation would not affect direct spending or revenues; 
     therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply.
       S. 627 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 Matthew 
     Pickford. This estimate was approved by Theresa Gullo, Deputy 
     Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.
                                  ____

                                                    April 8, 2011.
     Hon. Patrick J. Leahy,
     Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary, U.S. Senate, 
         Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
     prepared the enclosed cost estimate for S. 627, the Faster 
     FOIA Act of 2011.
       If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
     pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Matthew 
     Pickford, who can be reached at 226-2860.
           Sincerely,
                                             Douglas W. Elmendorf.
       Enclosure.

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