H.R. 1948, a bill to authorize the International Boundary and Water Commission to accept funds for activities relating to wastewater treatment and flood control works, and for other purposes

H.R. 1948 would authorize the U.S. International Boundary and Water Commission to accept and spend contributions from federal and certain nonfederal entities to carry out wastewater treatment, water conservation, and flood control projects. The bill would require the commission to report annually on how any collections were used.

Any contributions from nonfederal entities would be recorded in the budget as offsetting receipts, that is, as reductions in direct spending. CBO expects that the amount the commission would collect each year from federal and nonfederal sources would vary depending on the needs, priorities, and financial resources of the contributing entities. Based on historical spending patterns of similar activities, CBO estimates that any collections would be spent soon after they are received. Thus, under the bill, the net effect on direct spending would be negligible in each year and over the 2025-2035 period.

Based on the costs of similar requirements, CBO estimates that the annual report would cost less than $500,000 over the 2025-2030 period. Any related spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.

The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Kelly Durand. The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.