H.R. 2100 would authorize the Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development to prioritize and emphasize ongoing assistance programs to improve birth registration programs, prevent discrimination against girls and women, and build the capacity of developing countries to ensure equitable treatment of females. The agencies would be required to coordinate with international organizations, civil society organizations, and the private sector in meeting those goals. Finally, the bill would require both agencies, to the extent practicable, to include in their evaluations and reports to the Congress detailed data about beneficiaries, descriptions of how assistance programs benefit girls, and specific information about programs that target girls.
Both agencies report that ongoing assistance programs meet the requirements of the bill. On that basis, CBO expects that no further assistance would be provided under the bill. CBO estimates that implementing the reporting requirements would cost less than $500,000 each year and total $1 million over the 2016-2020 period, assuming the availability of appropriated funds. Pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply to this legislation because it would not affect direct spending or revenues.
H.R. 2100 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.
On May 28, 2015, CBO transmitted a cost estimate for S. 802, the Girls Count Act of 2015, as passed by the Senate on May 23, 2015. S. 802 is similar to H.R. 2100 and CBO’s estimated costs of implementing the bills are the same.
