H.R. 5169 would change how the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) conducts research and would require the Census Bureau to implement or enhance a household survey to assess the effect of continued welfare reform on families. CBO estimates that the requirements on the Secretary of HHS would be similar to those that already exist under current law; therefore, implementing those provisions would not affect discretionary spending by HHS. However, the legislation would require the Census Bureau to conduct activities that are not authorized under current law; CBO estimates that implementing those new requirements would cost the Census Bureau $49 million over the 2017-2021 period, assuming appropriation of the necessary amounts.
Enacting this bill would not affect direct spending or revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply. CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 5169 would not increase net direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2027.
H.R. 5169 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) and would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments. States could initiate program evaluations authorized by the bill, and any costs tied to matching requirements would be conditions of assistance.
