The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that it would cost approximately $1 million per year to implement a bill that seeks to boost legal protections for FBI employees who report abuse, fraud and misuse related to government activities.CBO said Monday the enactment of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2016 would not affect direct spending or revenues and would not increase net direct spending or on-budget deficits in four consecutive 10-year periods beginning 2027.
The legislation will require the Justice Department and the Government Accountability Office to produce reports on complaints of whistleblower retaliation and FBI’s oversight of those cases, CBO added.
The bill could also increase reporting requirements for DOJ; lengthen the time required to adjudicate some complaints; and lead to a growth in the number of such cases, CBO noted.
The legislation does not contain intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would not impose costs on state, local, or tribal governments, according to CBO’s report.
