S. 1901 would authorize the President to impose sanctions on people or entities that have facilitated the production or distribution of illicit substances to help finance North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs. The bill also would direct the President to determine and report to the Congress on whether several entities identified in the bill should be subject to sanctions. Finally, it would require federal agencies (primarily the Department of State and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence) to prepare and provide strategies, briefings, and reports to the Congress on the threats posed by North Korea, U.S. efforts to counter those threats, and other related matters.
Using information about the costs of similar activities, CBO estimates that administering the sanctions and preparing the reports required under S. 1901 would cost less than $500,000 each year and total $1 million over the 2018-2022 period; such spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.
