S. 1542 would require the Department of State to continue coordinating federal policies and programs affecting Uyghurs and other minority groups in China. It also would require the department to offer Uyghur language training to foreign service officers and to assign Uyghur-speaking officers to one U.S. consulate in China and another in Central Asia. Finally, the bill would require the department to report to the Congress on its efforts.
Using information about similar requirements, CBO estimates providing the required language training and reports would cost less than $500,000 each year and $2 million over the 2026-2031 period; such spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.
Previous CBO Estimate
On April 21, 2025, CBO transmitted a cost estimate for H.R. 2635, the Uyghur Policy Act of 2025, as ordered reported by the House Committee on Foreign Affairs on April 9, 2025. That act would authorize the appropriation of $750,000 to support human rights advocates working on behalf of the Uyghurs; S. 1542 would not authorize appropriations for that purpose. CBO’s estimates of the cost to implement the legislation reflect that difference.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is David Rafferty. The estimate was reviewed by Christina Hawley Anthony, Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.
