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cost estimate
April 5, 2012
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As ordered reported by the House Committee on Foreign Affairs on March 28, 2012
H.R. 4240 would reauthorize, through 2017, programs that provide assistance to certain North Koreans who have left that country and that promote human rights, democracy, and freedom of information in North Korea. The bill would authorize the appropriation of $24 million a year over the 2013-2017 period for those programs (the same amounts authorized for 2012). Based on spending patterns for the programs, CBO estimates that implementing the bill would have discretionary costs of $108 million over the 2013-2017 period, assuming appropriation of the specified amounts.
In particular, the bill would authorize the appropriation of the following amounts each year over the 2013-2017 period:
- $20 million for humanitarian assistance for North Korean refugees and emigrants;
- $2 million to promote human rights, democracy, rule of law, and development of a market economy; and
- $2 million to promote freedom of information.
Finally, the bill would require the Broadcasting Board of Governors to report to the Congress on its progress toward providing 12 hours of daily programming to North Korea. CBO estimates that implementing that requirement would have discretionary costs of less than $500,000, assuming the availability of appropriated funds.
Enacting H.R. 4240 would not affect direct spending or revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply.