H.R. 3190, Bringing Real Accountability Via Enforcement in Burma Act

H.R. 3190 would require the Administration to annually determine whether people or entities connected to the state-owned enterprises in Burma or certain sectors of the Burmese economy meet the criteria for sanctions under Executive Order 14014. The bill would require the Administration to report on its determinations. The bill also would require the United States Executive Director at the International Monetary Fund to advocate against increases in shareholding for Burma while the country is under the control of the State Administrative Council.

Under current law, the Administration can impose sanctions on individuals and entities that undermine democracy and peace. Those sanctions include denying visas and blocking some asset and property transactions for certain people who have undermined democratic institutions and peace in Burma. H.R. 3190 does not require the imposition of sanctions or expand the types of sanctions that could be imposed. If enacting the bill leads the Administration to broaden those sanctions, more people would be denied visas by the Department of State, resulting in an insignificant decrease in revenues from visa fees. Although most visa fees are retained by the Department of State and spent, some collections are deposited into the Treasury as revenues. Denying foreign nationals entry into the United States also would reduce direct spending on federal benefits (emergency Medicaid or federal subsidies for health insurance, for example) for which those people might otherwise be eligible.

As a result of the determinations required by the bill, transactions involving certain assets either in the United States or under the control of people or entities in the United States could be blocked. Any person or entity violating those prohibitions would be subject to civil or criminal monetary penalties. Such penalties are recorded as revenues, and a portion can be spent without further appropriation.

On the basis of data about similar sanctions, CBO estimates that any additional sanctions resulting from the bill would affect a small number of people. Thus, enacting H.R. 3190 would have insignificant effects on revenues and direct spending, and would, on net, reduce deficits by less than $500,000 over the 2026-2035 period.

On the basis of information about the costs of similar reporting requirements and on diplomatic efforts to influence the actions of other nations and international organizations, CBO estimates that the reporting and advocacy required by the bill would cost less than $500,000 over the 2026-2030 period. Such spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.

The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Emma Uebelhor. The estimate was reviewed by Christina Hawley Anthony, Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.