H.R. 5906 would amend current law to specify objectives for activities carried out by the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E). That agency supports research and development of technologies with a high potential of having significant effects on the economy, national security, and the environment. Funding for ARPA-E, which totals $353 million in 2018, supports short-term projects to advance technologies during the early stages of development so as to enhance their overall market readiness.
Using information from DOE, CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 5906 would not significantly affect the federal budget. CBO expects that although the bill would authorize ARPA-E to support projects involving a broader mix of technologies, it would not affect the overall magnitude of spending by the agency, which is subject to appropriation.
Enacting H.R. 5906 would not affect direct spending or revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply.
CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 5906 would not increase net direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2029.
H.R. 5906 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.
