H. Rpt. 119-507 accompanies the "Enhancing Detection of Human Trafficking Act" — legislation that falls within the Education and Workforce Committee's jurisdiction. Committee reports serve as the official legislative history of a bill, documenting what the legislation would do and why the committee recommends passage. Reports of this kind include the committee's section-by-section analysis, any amendments adopted during markup, the Congressional Budget Office cost estimate, dissenting views from minority members, and the legal basis for the legislation. Courts and agencies consult committee reports when interpreting enacted laws, making these documents important beyond the immediate legislative moment.
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House Report 119-507 - ENHANCING DETECTION OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING ACT
[House Report 119-507]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
119th Congress } { Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session } { 119-507
=======================================================================
ENHANCING DETECTION OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING ACT
----------------
February 20, 2026.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on
the State of the Union and ordered to be printed
----------------
Mr. Walberg, from the Committee on Education and Workforce,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 4307]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Education and Workforce, to whom was
referred the bill (H.R. 4307) to direct the Secretary of Labor
to train certain employees of Department of Labor how to
effectively detect and assist law enforcement in preventing
human trafficking during the course of their official duties,
and for other purposes, having considered the same, reports
favorably thereon with an amendment and recommends that the
bill as amended do pass.
The amendment is as follows:
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Enhancing Detection of Human
Trafficking Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITION OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
In this Act, the term ``human trafficking'' means any act or practice
described in paragraph (11) of section 103 of the Trafficking Victims
Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7102).
SEC. 3. TRAINING FOR DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL TO IDENTIFY HUMAN
TRAFFICKING.
(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Secretary of Labor shall implement a program to
provide the training and periodic continuing education described in
subsection (b) to employees of the Department of Labor whom the
Secretary determines should receive such training or education based on
their official duties. In making such determination with respect to
employees of the Wage and Hour Division, the Secretary shall consider
the training and education needs of such employees operating in a State
with a significant increase in oppressive child labor (as defined in
section 3(l) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C.
203(l)).
(b) Training and Continuing Education Described.--The training and
continuing education provided under the program referred to in
subsection (a)--
(1) may be conducted through in-class or virtual learning
capabilities; and
(2) shall include--
(A) training or continuing education that--
(i) is most appropriate for the particular
location or professional environment in which
the employees receiving such training or
continuing education perform their official
duties;
(ii) covers topics determined by the
Secretary of Labor to appropriately reflect
current trends and best practices for such
location or environment; and
(iii) includes--
(I) the provision of current
information on matters related to the
detection of human trafficking to the
extent relevant to the official duties
of such employees, and consistent with
privacy laws;
(II) methods for identifying
suspected victims of human trafficking
and parties who may be suspected of the
trafficking activity; and
(III) a clear course of action for
referring potential cases of human
trafficking to the Department of
Justice and other appropriate
authorities, in accordance with best
practices for protecting the rights of
victims of human trafficking, including
appropriate collaboration with victim
advocacy organizations, Federal
agencies, and State and local
officials; and
(B) an evaluation of the training or continuing
education by such employees after the completion of
such training or education.
SEC. 4. REPORTS TO CONGRESS.
Not later than 1 year after the Secretary of Labor first implements
the program under section 3(a), and each year thereafter, the Secretary
of Labor shall submit to the Committee on Education and Workforce of
the House of Representatives and the Committee on Health, Education,
Labor, and Pensions of the Senate, a report on--
(1) the training and continuing education provided under the
program for the preceding year, including--
(A) an evaluation (including the overall
effectiveness) of such training and continuing
education; and
(B) the number of individuals who have completed such
training or continuing education; and
(2) the number of cases related to the detection of human
trafficking, which were referred to the Department of Justice
and other appropriate authorities during the preceding year by
the Department of Labor, and the processes used by the
Department of Labor to accurately measure and track the
response of the Department of Justice and other appropriate
authorities to such cases.
PURPOSE
H.R. 4307, the Enhancing Detection of Human Trafficking
Act, directs the Secretary of Labor to implement an education
program for U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) personnel to detect
and assist law enforcement in preventing human trafficking
during their official duties.
COMMITTEE ACTION
115TH CONGRESS
Legislative Action
On May 25, 2017, Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI) introduced H.R.
2664, the Enhancing Detection of Human Trafficking Act, with
Rep. Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (D-MP) as an original
cosponsor. The bill was referred solely to the Committee on
Education and the Workforce. On July 12, 2017, the House of
Representatives agreed by voice vote on a motion to suspend the
rules and pass H.R. 2664.
118TH CONGRESS
First Session--Hearing
On June 7, 2023, the Committee on Education and the
Workforce held a hearing entitled ``Examining the Policies and
Priorities of the Department of Labor'' to examine DOL's Fiscal
Year (FY) 2024 budget priorities and evaluate the effectiveness
of its enforcement programs. The sole witness was the Honorable
Julie A. Su, Acting Secretary of Labor, Washington, D.C. Rep.
Walberg questioned Ms. Su about DOL's efforts to eliminate
instances of human trafficking.
Legislative Action
On January 20, 2023, Rep. Walberg introduced H.R. 443, the
Enhancing Detection of Human Trafficking Act, with Reps. Sablan
and Ann Wagner (R-MO) as original cosponsors. The bill was
referred solely to the Committee on Education and the
Workforce.
On January 10, 2024, the Committee considered H.R. 443 in
legislative session and reported it favorably, as amended, to
the House of Representatives by a recorded vote of 42-0. The
Committee considered the following amendments to H.R. 443:
1. Rep. Walberg offered an amendment in the nature of a
substitute (ANS) making technical changes to the bill, and the
amendment was adopted by voice vote.
2. Rep. Alma S. Adams (D-NC) offered an amendment adding
the Protecting Children Act, which increases civil monetary
penalties for child labor violations under the Fair Labor
Standards Act and increases the capacity of workforce
protection agencies to reduce child labor. Rep. Walberg
insisted on a point of order that the subject matter of the
amendment was not germane to the underlying bill, which was
sustained by then-Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC). Ranking
Member Robert C. ``Bobby'' Scott (D-VA) challenged the ruling
of the chair, which Rep. Walberg moved to table, and the motion
to table passed by voice vote.
3. Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) offered an amendment to clarify
that the Secretary of Labor shall consider the training and
education needs of Wage and Hour Division (WHD) employees
operating in a state with a significant increase in child
labor. The amendment also clarified that training and education
with respect to referrals to the Department of Justice (DOJ)
shall be done in accordance with best practices for protecting
the rights of human trafficking victims, including
collaboration with victim advocacy organizations, federal
agencies, and state and local officials. The amendment was
adopted by voice vote.
4. Rep. Donald Norcross (D-NJ) offered and withdrew an
amendment to ensure that DOL reports suspected trafficking
cases to relevant state and local business and professional
licensing bodies.
119TH CONGRESS
First Session--Hearing
On June 5, 2025, the Committee on Education and Workforce
held a hearing entitled ``Examining the Policies and Priorities
of the Department of Labor'' to examine DOL's FY 2026 budget
priorities and to evaluate the effectiveness of its enforcement
programs. The sole witness was the Honorable Lori M. Chavez-
DeRemer, Secretary of Labor, Washington, D.C. Chairman Walberg
requested that Secretary Chavez-DeRemer commit to having DOL
review the Enhancing Detection of Human Trafficking Act (H.R.
443, 118th Cong.), as previously approved by the Committee, to
ensure that it enables DOL to take the most effective steps to
combat human trafficking. Secretary Chavez-DeRemer agreed to
the request, and DOL subsequently reviewed the language.
Legislative Action
On July 10, 2025, Chairman Walberg introduced H.R. 4307,
the Enhancing Detection of Human Trafficking Act, with Rep.
Lucy McBath (D-GA) as an original cosponsor. The bill was
referred solely to the Committee on Education and Workforce.
On January 8, 2026, the Committee considered H.R. 4307 in
legislative session and reported it favorably, as amended, to
the House of Representatives by a recorded vote of 36-0. The
Committee considered the following amendments to H.R. 4307:
1. Chairman Walberg offered an ANS making technical changes
to the bill, and the amendment was adopted by voice vote.
2. Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA) offered and withdrew an
amendment to amend the Act of March 4, 1913 (37 Stat. 736,
chapter 141; 29 U.S.C. Sec. 551 et seq.) to establish within
DOL a Bureau of International Labor Affairs.
3. Rep. Adams offered and withdrew an amendment directing
the Secretary of Labor to establish a National Human
Trafficking Emphasis Program and to authorize appropriations of
$10,000,000 to carry out the amendment.
COMMITTEE VIEWS
INTRODUCTION
DOL enforcement personnel have a vantage point to detect,
and an opportunity to report, instances of human trafficking,
and it is crucial that they routinely develop and sharpen their
skills. H.R. 4307 establishes a requirement that DOL provide
education to its personnel so that they can effectively detect
and assist law enforcement in preventing human trafficking
during their official duties.
INSTANCES OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING
The prevailing federal law on human trafficking, the
Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA),\1\
recognizes two primary forms of human trafficking: sex
trafficking and forced labor. Specifically, the TVPA defines
human trafficking as ``sex trafficking in which a commercial
sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which
the person induced to perform such act has not attained 18
years of age'' or ``the recruitment, harboring, transportation,
provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services,
through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of
subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or
slavery.''\2\
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\1\22 U.S.C. Sec. Sec. 7101-7115.
\2\Id. Sec. 7102(11).
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According to the United Nations' International Labour
Organization, there were 27.6 million victims of forced labor
across the globe on any given day in 2021.\3\ The United States
is also experiencing a high rate of trafficking within its own
borders. The National Human Trafficking Hotline's most recent
data show there were 11,999 trafficking cases involving 21,865
victims in the United States during 2024.\4\ Further, the
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children estimated
that in 2024 roughly one in seven missing children under the
age of 18 were likely victims of child sex trafficking.\5\
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\3\Int'l. Lab. Org., Global Estimates of Modern Slavery--Forced
Labour and Forced Marriage (Sept. 2022), https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/
groups/public/---ed_norm/---ipec/documents/publication/wcms_854733.pdf.
\4\Nat'l Hum. Trafficking Hotline, Nat'l Statistics (2024), https:/
/humantraffickinghotline.org/en/statistics
\5\Nat'l Ctr. for Missing & Exploited Children, https://
www.missingkids.org/content/dam/missingkids/pdfs/2024-ncmec-our-
impact.pdf (last accessed Feb. 3, 2025).
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DOL'S PROCEDURES TO DETECT HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN THE UNITED STATES
While DOL agencies are not authorized by statute to
undertake criminal prosecutions, they still play an important
role in combating human trafficking. In the course of their
duties to enforce employment laws, DOL personnel from agencies
including WHD and the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA) may find potential instances of
trafficking. When personnel uncover such instances, DOL refers
them to the Department of Justice (DOJ), DOL's Office of
Inspector General (DOL-OIG), and other relevant law enforcement
agencies that can prosecute traffickers. According to the most
recent year for which DOJ provides data, DOL's WHD alone
``worked with criminal law enforcement agencies in 44 human
trafficking cases by making referrals, receiving referrals for
investigation under WHD laws, and assisting with the
computation of restitution for victims.''\6\ As of 2023, WHD
also participated in ``more than 80 task forces, working
groups, and coalitions with the main goal of combating human
trafficking.''\7\
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\6\DOJ, Attorney General's Annual Report to Congress on U.S.
Government Activities to Combat Trafficking in Persons: Fiscal Year
2023, https://www.justice.gov/humantrafficking/media/1386086/dl (last
visited Feb. 3, 2026).
\7\Id.
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WHD specifically provides education to its enforcement
personnel to detect instances of trafficking.\8\ This education
helps personnel to identify certain ``red flags'' that indicate
the likelihood of trafficking. Such ``red flags'' include (1)
attempts to restrict individuals' movement, (2) large groups of
individuals gathered in workplaces or housing arrangements, (3)
confiscation of personal identification, (4) direct threat to
individuals, (5) paying wages that are less than those that
were agreed upon, and (6) a disproportionate amount of money
withheld from wages.\9\ WHD provides this education as
personnel are hired as well as through continuing education. As
of 2023, WHD continued to provide training on ``preventing and
eliminating labor exploitation and human trafficking to all
agency enforcement staff.''\10\ However, WHD cannot confirm
that it provides its continuing education on an annual basis.
WHD also currently certifies U Visa or T Visa applications for
victims of certain qualifying crimes, including trafficking,
and provides technical assistance to law enforcement agencies
to calculate restitution owed to victims of trafficking.\11\
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\8\ DOL, WHD, The Department of Labor's Approach to Human
Trafficking, https://www.dol.gov/agencies/oasp/resources/trafficking/
whd.
\9\ DOL, Off. of Ass't Sec'y for Pol., Wage & Hour Div., https://
www.dol.gov/agencies/oasp/resources/trafficking/whd (last visited Feb.
3, 2026).
\10\ DOJ, Attorney General's Annual Report to Congress on U.S.
Government Activities to Combat Trafficking in Persons: Fiscal Year
2023, https://www.justice.gov/humantrafficking/media/1386086/dl (last
visited Feb. 3, 2026).
\11\Id.
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Outside of WHD, DOL-OIG also plays a crucial role in
fighting trafficking. In FY 2023, ``DOL-OIG opened 9
investigations and 38 complaints related to labor trafficking
allegations.''\12\ In addition, OSHA conducted ``agency-wide
training on human trafficking and tools for immigrant worker
protection'' in FY 2023; created educational materials for use
by OSHA staff, community advocates, and vulnerable workers;
``disseminated labor trafficking fact sheets and pocket cards
for field personnel to use in OSHA's enforcement and outreach
activities''; and launched its U and T Visa Certification
Program and website.\13\
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\12\Id.
\13\Id.
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DATA ON THE OUTCOMES OF DOL REFERRED CASES
Currently, DOL does not directly provide information to
Congress or the public about potential human trafficking cases
it refers to law enforcement. However, DOJ annually makes
available a report, the Attorney General's Annual Report to
Congress on U.S. Government Activities to Combat Trafficking in
Persons report, which is produced in accordance with 22 U.S.C.
Sec. 7103(d)(7), describing the activities carried out by the
U.S. government during the most recent fiscal year.\14\ The
report is submitted to the following committees: the Committee
on Ways and Means, the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the
Committee on Financial Services, and the Committee on the
Judiciary of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on
Finance, the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee on
Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, and the Committee on the
Judiciary of the Senate.\15\ The Secretary of Labor is a
standing member of the Interagency Task Force to Monitor and
Combat Trafficking, which was created by the TVPA to coordinate
federal efforts to combat human trafficking and which produces
the annual report.\16\ The annual report statutorily includes
activities and actions undertaken by federal departments and
agencies to enforce laws, regulations, and policies to fight
trafficking, including those undertaken by DOL.\17\ The annual
report is statutorily required to include information
including, but not limited to, adjudication times; counts of
persons convicted under trafficking laws; sentences imposed
against traffickers; descriptions of training provided that
supports victims of trafficking; activities to ensure
government contractors and subcontractors do not engage in
trafficking; and activities to train law enforcement to
identify victims of trafficking.\18\ Unfortunately, DOJ and
other law enforcement agencies do not consistently provide DOL
with information about the outcomes of their specific
referrals. Instead, DOJ provides summary data. According to the
most recent data available in FY 2023, ``DOJ brought 181 total
human trafficking prosecutions, 169 of which involved
predominantly sex trafficking and 12 of which involved
predominantly labor trafficking.''\19\ Also in FY 2023, DOJ
charged 258 defendants with human trafficking charges, and DOJ
secured convictions against 289 traffickers.\20\ This lack of
DOL-specific data may leave DOL agencies without a clear
understanding of the effectiveness of their trafficking
detection curricula.
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\14\Id.
\15\Id.; 22 U.S.C. Sec. 7103(d)(7).
\16\Id. Sec. 7103(b).
\17\Id. Sec. 7103(d)(7).
\18\Id.
\19\ DOJ, Attorney General's Annual Report to Congress on U.S.
Government Activities to Combat Trafficking in Persons: Fiscal Year
2023, https://www.justice.gov/humantrafficking/media/1386086/dl (last
visited Feb. 3, 2026).
\20\ Id.
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CONCLUSION
More must be done to raise awareness of human trafficking
and protect the most vulnerable in the United States. H.R. 4307
take an important step by ensuring federal employees within DOL
who are likely to come across cases of human trafficking have
the knowledge to identify these crimes and the tools they need
to respond to them. DOL employees are often on the front lines
of human trafficking as they investigate workplace violations.
This legislation will ensure DOL employees are educated to
recognize patterns of human trafficking and refer cases to law
enforcement.
SUMMARY
H.R. 4307 SECTION-BY-SECTION SUMMARY
Section 1. Short title
Section 1 provides that the short title is ``Enhancing
Detection of Human Trafficking Act.''
Section 2. Definition of human trafficking
Section 2 provides that the term ``human trafficking''
means any act or practice described in section 103 of the TVPA
(22 U.S.C. Sec. 7102).
Section 3. Training for Department personnel to identify human
trafficking
Section 3 directs the Secretary of Labor to implement an
educational program for DOL employees to detect and assist law
enforcement in preventing human trafficking during their
official duties, within 180 days of the bill's enactment. This
educational program will include both instruction when DOL
personnel are first hired and continuing education. Section 3
specifies that the Secretary of Labor shall consider the
training and education needs of WHD employees operating in a
state with a significant increase in child labor and clarifies
that training and education with respect to referrals to DOJ
shall be done in accordance with best practices for protecting
the rights of human trafficking victims, including
collaboration with victim advocacy organizations, federal
agencies, and state and local officials.
Section 4. Reports to Congress
Section 4 requires that not later than one year after the
Secretary of Labor implements the education program, and each
year thereafter, he or she will report to the House Committee
on Education and Workforce and the Senate Committee on Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions on the human trafficking
education provided under the program during the preceding year
and on the number of trafficking cases referred during the
preceding year to DOJ and other appropriate law enforcement
agencies by DOL in which human trafficking was suspected. When
reporting on the education provided in the preceding year, the
Secretary shall include information about the overall
effectiveness of the education and the number of individuals
who were educated.
EXPLANATION OF AMENDMENTS
The amendment in the nature of a substitute is explained in
the body of this report.
APPLICATION OF LAW TO THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
Section 102(b)(3) of Public Law 104-1 requires a
description of the application of this bill to the legislative
branch. H.R. 4307 requires training for DOL employees to
identify human trafficking and requires reporting on human
trafficking cases referred by DOL to the Department of Justice,
and therefore it does not apply to the Legislative Branch.
UNFUNDED MANDATE STATEMENT
Pursuant to Section 423 of the Congressional Budget and
Impoundment Control Act of 1974, Pub. L. No. 93-344 (as amended
by Section 101(a)(2) of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of
1995, Pub. L. No. 104-4), the Committee adopts as its own the
cost estimate prepared by the Director of the Congressional
Budget Office (CBO) pursuant to section 402 of the
Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974.
EARMARK STATEMENT
H.R. 4307 does not contain any congressional earmarks,
limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined in
clause 9 of House rule XXI.
ROLL CALL VOTES
Clause 3(b) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of
Representatives requires the Committee Report to include for
each record vote on a motion to report the measure or matter
and on any amendments offered to the measure or matter the
total number of votes for and against and the names of the
Members voting for and against.
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
STATEMENT OF GENERAL PERFORMANCE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
In accordance with clause (3)(c) of House of
Representatives rule XIII, the goal of H.R. 4307, the Enhancing
Detection of Human Trafficking Act, is to require the Secretary
of Labor to train certain employees of the Department of Labor
how to effectively detect and assist law enforcement in
preventing human trafficking during the course of their
official duties.
DUPLICATION OF FEDERAL PROGRAMS
No provision of H.R. 4307 establishes or reauthorizes a
program of the Federal Government known to be duplicative of
another Federal program, a program that was included in any
report from the Government Accountability Office to Congress
pursuant to section 21 of Public Law 111-139, or a program
related to a program identified in the most recent Catalog of
Federal Domestic Assistance.
STATEMENT OF OVERSIGHT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COMMITTEE
In compliance with clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII and clause
2(b)(1) of rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives,
the Committee's oversight findings and recommendations are
reflected in the body of this report.
REQUIRED COMMITTEE HEARING
In compliance with clause 3(c)(6) of rule XIII the
following hearing held during the 119th Congress was used to
develop or consider H.R. 4307: On June 5, 2025, the Committee
on Education and Workforce held a hearing on ``Examining the
Policies and Priorities of the Department of Labor.''
NEW BUDGET AUTHORITY AND CBO COST ESTIMATE
With respect to the requirements of clause 3(c)(2) of rule
XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and section
308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 and with respect
to requirements of clause 3(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules of
the House of Representatives and section 402 of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee adopts as its
own the cost estimate for the bill prepared by the Director of
the Congressional Budget Office.
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
H.R. 4307 would require the Department of Labor (DOL) to
train it's employees on how to identify victims of human
trafficking and parties who may be suspected of trafficking.
The training would include instruction on how to refer
potential cases of human trafficking to the Department of
Justice (DOJ) or other appropriate authorities. The bill also
would require DOL to report to the Congress annually on the
effectiveness of the training and the number of cases referred
to law enforcement.
DOL currently provides the training required by the bill;
thus, that provision would not affect the federal budget. On
the basis of information about similar requirements, CBO
estimates that providing the annual report would cost less than
$500,000 and over the 2026-2030 period. Any spending would be
subject to the availability of appropriated funds.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Justin Latus.
The estimate was reviewed by Christina Hawley Anthony, Deputy
Director of Budget Analysis.
Phillip L. Swagel,
Director, Congressional Budget Office.
COMMITTEE COST ESTIMATE
Clause 3(d)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of
Representatives requires an estimate and a comparison of the
costs that would be incurred in carrying out H.R. 4307.
However, clause 3(d)(2)(B) of that Rule provides that this
requirement does not apply when, as with the present report,
the Committee adopts as its own the cost estimate for the bill
prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office.
CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED
H.R. 4307, as reported by the Committee, makes no changes
to existing law.
[all]