As ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs on July 31, 2013
H.R. 1171 would amend federal law regarding the disposal of federal personal property (including items such as furniture, office supplies, and construction equipment). Under current law, veterans organizations involved in education or health programs can obtain personal property through the Federal Surplus Personal Property Donation Program at no cost; other organizations must pay for such property. The legislation would expand eligibility to allow any organization that primarily supports veterans to receive donations free of charge.
Based on information from the General Services Administration (GSA) about the current donation program, CBO estimates that implementing the legislation would have no significant impact on the federal budget. Enacting H.R. 1171 would reduce offsetting receipts (a credit against direct spending); therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures apply. However, CBO estimates that any such losses of offsetting receipts that might result from donating personal property to additional veterans organizations would not be significant in any year because GSA already offers many organizations the opportunity to receive surplus personal property. Enacting H.R. 1171 would not affect revenues.
H.R. 1171 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would not affect the budgets of state, local, or tribal governments.
On June 5, 2013, CBO transmitted a cost estimate for H.R. 1171, the FOR VETS Act of 2013, as ordered reported by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on May 22, 2013. The two versions of the legislation are identical, and the CBO cost estimates are the same.
