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H.R. 2048, USA FREEDOM Act of 2015 1 (May 8, 2015)

handle is hein.congrec/cbo2276 and id is 1 raw text is: CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE COST ESTIMATE May 8, 2015 H.R. 2048 USA FREEDOM Act of 2015 As ordered reported by the House Committee on the Judiciary on April 30, 2015 H.R. 2048 would make several amendments to the investigative and surveillance authorities of the United States government, and would specify the conditions under which the federal government may conduct certain types of surveillance. CBO does not provide estimates for the cost of classified programs; therefore, this estimate addresses only the unclassified aspects of the bill. Under that limitation, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 2048 would cost $15 million over the 2016-2020 period, subject to the appropriation of the necessary amounts. Enacting H.R. 2048 also could affect direct spending and revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures apply. The bill could result in the collection of additional criminal penalties because it would extend the authority of the government to conduct surveillance in certain instances for four years and would establish new crimes relating to certain acts of terrorism. Such penalties are recorded as revenues, deposited in the Crime Victims Fund, and later spent. CBO anticipates that any additional amounts collected under the bill would be minimal and the net impact on the deficit of any additional collections and spending would be insignificant. Effects on the Federal Budget The bill would amend the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). Those amendments would affect the operations of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) and the Judiciary. First, H.R. 2048 would require the FISC to designate at least five amici curiae, or friends of the court, to assist the court when the government makes an application under FISA that presents a novel or significant interpretation of FISA. Second, the bill would limit the collection of telephone call records, thereby requiring the intelligence agencies-acting through the Department of Justice-to seek additional warrants from the FISC to access such data. Finally, the bill would require an annual report by the Director of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts (AOUSC) that includes data on certain types of FISA orders. Based on information from the AOUSC, CBO estimates that implementing those requirements would cost $5 million over the 2016-2020 period, assuming appropriation of the necessary amounts.

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