H.R. 6447 would require the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to designate a current career appointee as the chief data officer of the department. The bill also would require each of the seven operational components within DHS (such as Customs and Border Protection and the Transportation Security Administration) to designate current appointees as chief data officers. Those offices would coordinate the integration of data among DHS agencies, oversee the storage of records, and manage other tasks related to the use of DHS data systems.
Two DHS operational components currently have chief data officers while a third component has a vacant position. We expect that the other four components and the department would have to hire five additional people to assist in carrying out the formal role of chief data officer established by the bill at an annual cost of around $150,000 per person. Thus, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 6447 would cost about $1 million annually; such spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.
Enacting H.R. 6447 would not affect direct spending or revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply.
CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 6447 would not increase net direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2029.
H.R. 6447 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.
