As ordered reported by the Senate Committee on the Judiciary on September 15, 2014
S. 1535 would narrow the immunity of foreign states and their employees or agents from lawsuits by victims of terrorist acts and grant U.S. district courts jurisdiction over certain terrorism-related cases. CBO estimates that implementing S. 1535 would have no significant effect on the federal budget. Enacting S. 1535 could increase revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures apply. However, CBO estimates that any such effects would not be significant in any year. Enacting the bill would not affect direct spending.
Under the bill, it is possible that district courts would hear additional terrorism-related cases. The Departments of Justice and State often review such cases and issue recommendations to those courts. However, based on information from both agencies, CBO estimates that no additional personnel would be required to implement the bill. Thus, implementing the bill would have no significant costs over the 2015-2019 period.
Enacting S. 1535 could increase revenues from a $2,275 fee collected by the Department of State for judicial assistance provided to U.S. citizens in other countries. Based on information from the department, CBO estimates that additional revenues deposited in the Treasury would not be significant over the 2015-2024 period.
S. 1535 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.
