S. 1492 would designate the Department of Commerce as the primary adviser to the President for policies related to the deployment, use, application, and competitiveness of blockchain technology and applications. The bill also would require the department to support U.S. leadership in blockchain technology, develop policies and recommendations, examine benefits to federal agencies, coordinate federal cybersecurity activities related to blockchain technology, and work with the private sector to identify ways to deploy the technology.
Using information from the department and based on the cost of similar requirements, CBO estimates that implementing S. 1492 would cost $59 million over the 2025-2030 period. CBO estimates that $46 million of that total would be for personnel costs; other overhead costs would total $13 million. Any related spending would be subject to the availability of appropriations.
The costs of the legislation, detailed in Table 1, fall within budget function 370 (commerce and housing credit).
Table 1.
Estimated Increases in Spending Subject to Appropriation Under S. 1492
By Fiscal Year, Millions of Dollars
2025
2026
2027
2028
2029
2030
2025-2030
Estimated Authorization
0
8
14
13
13
14
62
Estimated Outlays
0
7
13
13
13
13
59
On June 27, 2025, CBO transmitted a cost estimate for H.R. 1664, the Deploying American Blockchains Act of 2025, as passed by the House of Representatives on June 23, 2025. The two pieces of legislation are similar, and CBO’s estimates of their budgetary effects are the same.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is David Hughes. The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.
