S. 1172 would amend federal law to codify the process of transitioning from one presidential administration to another. The legislation would establish councils of federal employees to oversee and coordinate transition activities within the White House and across all federal agencies. S. 1172 also would require each agency to appoint staff to manage internal transition activities and several entities to submit reports on political appointees, regulations, and security vulnerabilities during presidential transitions. Finally, S. 1172 would extend the period of time during which the General Services Administration could spend funds on services and facilities for the incoming administration after the inauguration.
According to major government agencies and non-profit organizations involved with previous presidential transitions, most of the legislation’s provisions are similar to practices typically followed immediately preceding and following a presidential election. Therefore, CBO estimates that implementing this legislation would cost less than $500,000 over the next five years. Enacting S. 1172 would not affect direct spending or revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply.
CBO estimates that enacting S. 1172 would not increase direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2026.
S. 1172 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 June 16, 2015, CBO transmitted a cost estimate for S. 1172 as ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs on May 6, 2015. The two versions of the legislation are similar, and the estimated costs are the same.