Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate
At a Glance Commerce and Consumer Regulatory Legislation As ordered reported by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on April 8, 2025, or passed by the House of Representatives
On April 8, 2025, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce ordered 20 bills to be reported. This document provides estimates for 17 of those pieces of legislation; 11 have been passed by the House of Representatives. CBO estimates that seven pieces of legislation would affect direct spending or revenues by insignificant amounts; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures would apply. Over the 2025-2030 period, CBO estimates that all of the legislation would increase spending subject to appropriation. None would increase net direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2036. Ten contain private-sector or intergovernmental mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act. Bill Net Increase or Decrease (-) in the Deficit Over the 2025-2035 Period (Millions of Dollars) Changes in Spending Subject to Appropriation Over the 2025-2030 Period (Outlays, Millions of Dollars) Mandate Effects? H.R. 617a 0 * No H.R. 633 * 4 No H.R. 859a * 4 Yes H.R. 866a 0 1 No H.R. 906a 0 * Yes H.R. 1402a * 4 Yes H.R. 1479a * 4 Yes H.R. 1664 0 59 No H.R. 1717 0 * Yes H.R. 2037 0 6 No H.R. 2269 * 4 Yes H.R. 2399a * * Yes H.R. 2444a 0 * No H.R. 2449a 0 * Yes H.R. 2458a 0 * Yes H.R. 2480a 0 4 No H.R. 2481 * 4 Yes * = between -$500,000 and $500,000. a. Passed by the House of Representatives. Detailed estimate begins on the next page.
Summary of Legislation On April 8, 2025, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce ordered 20 bills to be reported. This document provides estimates for 17 pieces of legislation in that package that focus on regulation or development by the Department of Commerce, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), or the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) in the commercial and consumer sectors. Estimated Federal Cost The costs of the legislation fall within budget functions 370 (commerce and housing credit) and 750 (administration of justice). Basis of Estimate For this estimate, CBO assumes that the legislation will be enacted in fiscal year 2025 and that the necessary amounts will be available each year. CBO estimates that all of the legislation would affect spending subject to appropriation. This cost estimate does not include any effects of interactions among the legislation. If all were combined and enacted as a single piece of legislation, the effects could be different from the sum of the separate estimates, but CBO expects that any differences would be small. H.R. 617, the American Music Tourism Act of 2025, would require the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Travel and Tourism to promote music tourism in the United States and periodically report to the Congress. In 2024, $3.5 million was appropriated to carry out the requirements of the Visit America Act, a 2022 law promoting U.S. travel and tourism. Using information about the Assistant Secretary’s responsibilities under current law, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 617 would cost less than $500,000 over the 2025-2030 period. Any related spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds. H.R. 633, the TAKE IT DOWN Act, would criminalize the nonconsensual publication and distribution of intimate visual images, including digital content forgeries (“deepfakes”) generated by artificial intelligence, by users of online platforms. Upon request from a victim, H.R. 633 would require online platforms to immediately remove such images. The FTC and the Department of Justice would enforce those provisions; violators would be subject to criminal and civil penalties. Using information from the FTC and based on the cost of similar requirements, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 633 would cost the FTC $4 million over the 2025-2030
period to issue guidance and enforce those provisions. Any related spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds. Violations of the criminal provisions in H.R. 633 could result in federal criminal fines, and online platforms could face assessments of civil penalties by the FTC. Criminal fines are recorded as revenues, deposited into the Crime Victims Fund, and spent without further appropriation. Civil penalties are deposited into the general fund of the Treasury and recorded as revenues. CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 633 would increase revenues and direct spending by less than $500,000 over the 2025‑2035 period. That estimate is uncertain because the extent to which online platforms would violate the new rules is uncertain, and CBO cannot predict whether the FTC would pursue enforcement or other remedies, nor can we project the amount of time required to resolve any cases. H.R. 859, the Informing Consumers about Smart Devices Act, would require manufacturers of Internet-connected devices to disclose to consumers whether those devices contain microphones or cameras. The FTC would enforce those provisions. Using information from the FTC and based on the cost of similar requirements, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 859 would cost $4 million over the 2025-2030 period for guidance and enforcement. Any related spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds. H.R. 859 would authorize the FTC to collect civil monetary penalties from businesses that violate the new provisions; the agency also could pursue other remedies. Civil monetary penalties generally are remitted to the Treasury and recorded as revenues. However, CBO estimates that the amount collected in additional revenues over the 2025-2035 period would be insignificant. The extent to which businesses would violate the new rules is uncertain, and CBO cannot predict whether the FTC would pursue enforcement or other remedies, nor can we project the amount of time required to resolve any cases that the FTC might pursue. H.R. 866, the ROUTERS Act, would require the Department of Commerce to study the national security risks and cybersecurity vulnerabilities posed by consumer routers, modems, and devices that combine a modem and a router that are designed, manufactured, or supplied by organizations owned or controlled by China, Iran, North Korea, or Russia. H.R. 866 would require the department to report those results to the Congress. Based on the cost of similar activities, CBO estimates that meeting the reporting requirement would cost $1 million over the 2025‑2030 period. Any related spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.
H.R. 906, the Foreign Adversary Communications Transparency Act, would require the FCC to publish a list each year of entities with ties to China, Iran, North Korea, or Russia that hold licenses or authorizations granted by the commission. Using information from the FCC and based on the cost of similar requirements, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 906 would cost $4 million over the 2025-2030 period to issue rules and identify whether any of those nations hold equity or a voting interest in organizations that have an authorization, license, or other grant of authority issued by the FCC. However, because the FCC is authorized to collect fees each year sufficient to offset the appropriated costs of its regulatory activities, CBO estimates that the net cost to the FCC would be negligible, assuming appropriation actions consistent with that authority. H.R. 1402, the TICKET Act, would require companies that issue tickets or that sell tickets on the secondary market to clearly display the total price of any ticket, including itemizing any fees not included in the base ticket price. H.R. 1402 also would prohibit entities from offering or advertising tickets that they do not possess, require entities to clearly disclose whether a ticket is for resale, and direct ticket sellers to issue refunds to buyers if an event is canceled. Those requirements, which the FTC would enforce, would apply to live events at venues with an attendance capacity of 200 people or more. Using information from the FTC and based on the cost of similar requirements, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 1402 would cost the FTC $4 million over the 2025-2030 period to issue guidance and to monitor and enforce those requirements. Any related spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds. CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 1402 could increase collections of civil penalties, which are recorded in the budget as revenues, by an insignificant amount. H.R. 1479, the Hotel Fees Transparency Act of 2025, would require providers of short- term lodging and websites that advertise or offer such lodging to display up front the full price of lodging and all mandatory fees required to complete a booking. The FTC would enforce that requirement. Using information from the FTC and based on the cost of similar requirements, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 1479 would cost the FTC $4 million over the 2025-2030 period to issue guidance and to monitor and enforce those provisions. Any related spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds. CBO also estimates that enacting H.R. 1479 could increase collections of civil penalties, which are recorded in the budget as revenues, by an insignificant amount. H.R. 1664, the Deploying American Blockchains Act of 2025, 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. H.R. 1664 also would require the department to establish the Blockchain
Deployment Program to support U.S. leadership in the 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 H.R. 1664 would cost $59 million over the 2025-2030 period, assuming appropriation of the estimated amounts. CBO estimates that $46 million of that total would be for personnel costs; other overhead costs would total $13 million. H.R. 1717, the Communications Security Act, would require the FCC to establish a council to make recommendations concerning the security, reliability, and interoperability of communications networks. The Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council (CSRIC) within the FCC currently has those duties. The CSRIC typically receives a new charter every two years, most recently in June 2024; the current charter will expire at the end of March 2026. Using information from the FCC, CBO estimates that the council’s administration would cost the agency $2 million over the 2025-2030 period. However, because the FCC is authorized to collect fees each year sufficient to offset the appropriated costs of its regulatory activities, CBO estimates that the net cost to the FCC would be negligible, assuming appropriation actions consistent with that authority. H.R. 1717 would authorize the FCC to appoint members to the committee, including representatives from federal agencies. Past members have come from the Departments of Commerce, Health and Human Services, and Homeland Security. CBO cannot predict the future composition of the CSRIC, but we estimate that those agencies’ participation in the council would increase spending subject to appropriation by an insignificant amount. H.R. 2037, the Open RAN Outreach Act, would require the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to conduct outreach and provide technical assistance to small communications providers concerning Open Radio Access Networks and how to participate in the Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund Grant Program authorized by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021. The Congress appropriated $1.5 billion for that program in the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022. Using information from the NTIA, CBO estimates that it would cost $6 million over the 2025-2030 period to implement those requirements for administrative costs, travel, and private-contractor support. Any related spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds. H.R. 2269, the WIPPES Act, would require manufacturers and suppliers of disposable wipes to clearly mark their products with a “do not flush” label and symbol. The FTC would enforce that requirement.
Using information from the FTC and based on the cost of similar requirements, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 2269 would cost the FTC $4 million over the 2025-2030 period to issue guidance and to monitor and enforce those requirements. In addition, CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 2269 could increase collections of civil penalties, which are recorded in the federal budget as revenues, by an insignificant amount. H.R. 2399, the Rural Broadband Protection Act of 2025, would require the FCC to issue rules to amend the application review process for the federal universal service high-cost program, which seeks to expand voice and broadband service in unserved or underserved areas. Specifically, H.R. 2399 would require the FCC to evaluate applicants and recipients of funding on the basis of criteria specified in the legislation. Recent awards for the high-cost program have been made through auctions run by the FCC. H.R. 2399 would establish minimum civil monetary penalties for bidders who win an auction for a segment of the broadband spectrum and subsequently default on their service obligations before receiving funding. Because the FCC currently reviews program applications, CBO expects that the rules issued under H.R. 2399 would mostly codify current policies. On that basis, CBO estimates that the cost to the FCC would be less than $500,000 to issue rules amending the review process. The FCC is authorized to collect fees each year sufficient to offset the appropriated costs of its regulatory activities; thus, CBO estimates that the net cost to implement those requirements would be negligible, assuming appropriation actions consistent with that authority. The commission currently issues rules for auctions that include penalties for winning bidders that default on their service obligations before they receive funding. Under current law, the FCC has broad authority to assess civil monetary penalties, which are recorded in the budget as revenues. H.R. 2399 would set minimum penalties for defaulting entities at an amount higher than the amounts the FCC has set for recent auctions. Using information from the FCC about the amounts collected in penalties for previous defaults and acknowledging the uncertainty about the timing of future auctions, CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 2399 would increase revenues by an insignificant amount over the 2025-2035 period; any significant increases in collections of penalties under the legislation would be unlikely to occur before 2036. H.R. 2444, the Promoting Resilient Supply Chains Act of 2025, would require the Department of Commerce to assess and prepare for disruptions to supply chains for goods that are critical to national or economic security. H.R. 2444 would establish an interagency working group to identify actions that the federal government can take to mitigate the economic effects of incidents that cause gaps in manufacturing, warehousing, transportation, and distribution networks for those critical goods. The department would need to report annually to the Congress on the effectiveness of its efforts.
Implementing H.R. 2444 would not impose significant new operating requirements on the Department of Commerce or other federal agencies because those agencies are already performing most of the responsibilities that would be required under H.R. 2444. CBO estimates that preparing assessments and reports would cost less than $500,000 over the 2025-2030 period. Any spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds. H.R. 2449, the FUTURE Networks Act, would require the FCC to establish a task force on sixth-generation (6G) wireless technology. The task force would report to the Congress on issues, including the status of 6G standards-setting bodies; the uses and limitations of 6G technology; and how federal, state, and local governments could use that technology. Using information from the FCC, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 2449 would cost less than $500,000 over the 2025-2030 period. However, because the FCC is authorized to collect fees each year sufficient to offset the appropriated costs of its regulatory activities, CBO estimates that the net cost to the FCC would be negligible, assuming appropriation actions consistent with that authority. H.R. 2458, the Secure Space Act of 2025, would prohibit the FCC from issuing licenses or granting access to U.S. markets to entities that control orbiting satellite systems or Earth stations that are connected to orbiting satellite systems and that pose a risk to national security. Based on the cost of similar activities, CBO estimates that it would cost the FCC less than $500,000 to implement H.R. 2458. However, because the commission is authorized to collect fees each year sufficient to offset the appropriated costs of its regulatory activities, CBO estimates that the net cost would be negligible, assuming appropriation actions consistent with that authority. H.R. 2480, the Securing Semiconductor Supply Chains Act of 2025, would direct the Department of Commerce, through its SelectUSA program, to solicit comments from economic development organizations in the states about how to support foreign direct investment in semiconductor production in the United States. H.R. 2480 also would require the department to report to the Congress on strategies that SelectUSA could implement to increase such investment. Using information from the department, CBO expects that implementing H.R. 2480 would cost $4 million over the 2025-2030 period. Any related spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds. H.R. 2481, the Romance Scam Prevention Act, would require providers of online dating services to notify users if they are contacted by a subscriber whose account was suspended or terminated because of fraudulent activity. The FTC would enforce that requirement.
Based on the cost of similar provisions, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 2481 would cost the FTC $4 million over the 2025-2030 period to issue guidance and to monitor and enforce those requirements. CBO also estimates that enacting H.R. 2481 could increase collections of civil penalties, which are recorded in the federal budget as revenues, by an insignificant amount. Pay-As-You-Go Considerations CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 859, H.R. 1402, H.R. 1479, H.R. 2269, H.R. 2399, and H.R. 2481 would increase revenues by less than $500,000 each over the 2025-2035 period. CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 633 would increase direct spending and revenues by less than $500,000 each over the 2025-2035 period. Therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures apply to those pieces of legislation. Increase in Long-Term Net Direct Spending and Deficits None of the legislation would increase net direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 10‑year periods beginning in 2036. Mandates Ten pieces of legislation among those ordered to be reported by the Energy and Commerce Committee or passed by the House would impose intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA). H.R. 859, the Informing Consumers about Smart Devices Act, would impose a private- sector mandate as defined in UMRA by requiring manufacturers of Internet-connected devices to disclose to consumers whether those devices contain microphones or cameras. According to industry sources, most manufacturers already disclose such information. Therefore, CBO estimates that the cost to comply with H.R. 859 would not exceed the annual threshold established in UMRA for private-sector mandates ($206 million in 2025, adjusted annually for inflation). H.R. 859 contains no intergovernmental mandates as defined in UMRA. H.R. 906, the Foreign Adversary Communications Transparency Act, would increase the cost of an existing private-sector mandate if the FCC increases annual fee collections to offset the costs of implementing the provisions in H.R. 906. CBO estimates that the incremental cost of the mandate would be small and would fall well below the annual threshold established in UMRA for private-sector mandates ($206 million in 2025, adjusted annually for inflation). H.R. 906 contains no intergovernmental mandates as defined in UMRA.
H.R. 1402, the TICKET Act, would impose private-sector mandates as defined in UMRA on ticket sellers and resellers by requiring certain changes, including new refund policies, to the ticketing process. CBO estimates that the aggregate cost to comply with the mandates would be above the threshold established in UMRA for private-sector mandates ($206 million in 2025, adjusted annually for inflation). Under H.R. 1402, if an event is canceled, ticket sellers and resellers would be required to provide a full refund of the ticket price, including taxes and fees, to ticket purchasers. If an event is postponed, sellers and resellers would be required to provide customers either a full refund or a replacement ticket, if available, subject to the customer’s preference. Sellers also would be required to disclose that refund policy. H.R. 1402 allows for exceptions if a cancellation or postponement is beyond the ticket issuer’s control, for example, in the case of a natural disaster. According to industry sources, many sellers and resellers already provide full refunds for canceled events but few offer refunds for postponed events. Considerable uncertainty surrounds the ways that federal regulations might define what is within the control of the issuer in the event of a cancellation or postponement or what might constitute comparable replacement events. Given the size of the industry and the amount of revenue generated by ticketed events, CBO estimates that the cost of this mandate would exceed the threshold for private-sector mandates. H.R. 1402 also would require ticket sellers and resellers to clearly display the total price of any ticket, including itemizing any fees not included in the ticket price. Those disclosures would occur at the time a ticket is first displayed to consumers and in any advertisements or marketing. According to industry sources, most ticket sellers already provide the total cost to consumers in advance; thus, CBO expects the additional requirements in H.R. 1402 to have small costs. H.R. 1402 also would require ticket resellers to disclose to consumers that they are resellers before any purchase is complete. Sellers and resellers would be prohibited from selling or advertising any ticket that the seller does not constructively possess. Sellers also would be prohibited from including the name of a venue in their online domain name or stating that they are affiliated with a venue, team, or artist without authorization. CBO expects that those disclosures and prohibitions would impose minimal costs on the sellers. H.R. 1402 contains no intergovernmental mandates as defined in UMRA. H.R. 1479, the Hotel Fees Transparency Act of 2025, would impose intergovernmental and private-sector mandates as defined in UMRA. CBO estimates that the cost to comply with those mandates would not exceed thresholds established in UMRA ($103 million and $206 million in 2025, respectively, adjusted annually for inflation). H.R. 1479 would preempt state and local laws governing the display of prices for short-term lodging. Although the preemptions would limit the application of state and local laws, it
would impose no duty on state or local governments that would result in significant spending or loss of revenues. H.R. 1479 would require hotels, short-term rentals, online booking websites, and other third- party temporary accommodation sellers to disclose up front the total price of lodging, including any government-imposed fees. According to industry sources and the FTC, some lodging providers already comply with the provisions in H.R. 1479. In addition, a final rule that took effect in May 2025 requires sellers of short-term lodging to disclose all associated fees to customers. 1 Many entities already comply with those requirements and others have the information needed to do so. Therefore, CBO expects that the cost to comply with the private-sector mandate would be small. H.R. 1717, the Communications Security Act, would increase the cost of an existing private-sector mandate if the FCC increases annual fee collections to offset the costs of implementing the provisions in the legislation. CBO estimates that the incremental cost of the mandate would be small and would fall well below the annual threshold established in UMRA for private-sector mandates ($206 million in 2025, adjusted annually for inflation). H.R. 1717 contains no intergovernmental mandates as defined in UMRA. H.R. 2269, the WIPPES Act, would impose intergovernmental and private-sector mandates, but CBO estimates that the costs to comply with those mandates would not exceed the thresholds established in UMRA ($103 million and $206 million in 2025, respectively, adjusted annually for inflation). H.R. 2269 would preempt some state and local laws governing the labeling of certain disposable wipes. Although the preemptions would limit the application of state and local laws, they would impose no duty on state or local governments that would result in significant spending or loss of revenues. H.R. 2269 would require manufacturers of certain disposable wipes to clearly mark their products with a “do not flush” label and symbol. Because manufacturers already comply with similar laws in California, Illinois, and several other states, CBO estimates that the cost to comply with the private-sector mandate would be small. H.R. 2399, the Rural Broadband Protection Act of 2025, would increase the cost of an existing private-sector mandate if the FCC increases annual fee collections to offset the costs of implementing the provisions in H.R. 2399. CBO estimates that the incremental cost of the mandate would be small and would fall well below the annual threshold established in UMRA for private-sector mandates ($206 million in 2025, adjusted annually for inflation).
1. Federal Trade Commission, “Trade Regulation rule on Unfair or Deceptive Fees,” final rule, 90 Fed. Reg. 2166 (January 10, 2025), https://tinyurl.com/2s4fyh38.
H.R. 2399 contains no intergovernmental mandates as defined in UMRA. H.R. 2449, the FUTURE Networks Act, would increase the cost of an existing private- sector mandate if the FCC increases annual fee collections to offset the costs of implementing the requirements in H.R. 2449. CBO estimates that the incremental cost of the mandate would be small and would fall well below the annual threshold established in UMRA for private-sector mandates ($206 million in 2025, adjusted annually for inflation). H.R. 2449 contains no intergovernmental mandates as defined in UMRA. H.R. 2458, the Secure Space Act of 2025, would increase the cost of an existing private- sector mandate if the FCC increases annual fee collections to offset the costs of implementing the provisions in H.R. 2458. CBO estimates that the incremental cost of the mandate would be small and would fall well below the annual threshold established in UMRA for private-sector mandates ($206 million in 2025, adjusted annually for inflation). H.R. 2458 contains no intergovernmental mandates as defined in UMRA. H.R. 2481, the Romance Scam Prevention Act, would impose intergovernmental and private-sector mandates, but CBO estimates that the costs to comply with those mandates would not exceed the thresholds established in UMRA ($103 million and $206 million in 2025, respectively, adjusted annually for inflation). H.R. 2481 would preempt state laws governing fraud notifications issued by online dating services. Although the preemptions would limit the application of state and local laws, those preemptions would impose no duty on state or local governments that would result in significant spending or loss of revenues. H.R. 2481 would require providers of online dating services to send a fraud notification to consumers who receive a message from a member who has been banned by the service. Because some states already require those fraud notifications, most dating services have implemented the policy regardless of the consumer’s location. Therefore, CBO expects that the cost to comply with the mandate would be small.
Estimate Prepared By Federal Costs: Margot Berman Jon Sperl Mandates: Rachel Austin Estimate Reviewed By Justin Humphrey Chief, Finance, Housing, and Education Cost Estimates Unit Kathleen FitzGerald Chief, Public and Private Mandates Unit H. Samuel Papenfuss Deputy Director of Budget Analysis Estimate Approved By
Phillip L. Swagel Director, Congressional Budget Office