Cost Estimate for H.R. 4060: Health, Safety, and Security of Peace Corps Volunteers Act of 2004
H.R. 4060
Health, Safety, and Security of Peace Corps Volunteers Act of 2004
As ordered reported by the House Committee on International Relations on March 31, 2004
H.R. 4060 would establish within the Peace Corps an Office of the Ombudsman, an Office of Safety and Security, an Office of Medical Services, and an independent Inspector General. In addition, the bill would require semi-annual reports from the Ombudsman, a report on medical screening and placement of volunteers, and reports on work assignments. Out of all these offices established by the bill, only the Office of the Ombudsman would be new--the other offices exist under more general authority. CBO estimates that implementing the bill would require the hiring of an additional four personnel and would cost about $500,000 each year, assuming the appropriation of the necessary funds. The bill would not affect direct spending or receipts.
Based on information from the Peace Corps, CBO estimates that staffing an Office of the Ombudsman would require three additional staff. H.R. 4060 would also require that the head of the Office of Medical Services not occupy any other position within the Peace Corps. Thus, providing a full-time head for the office would require hiring an additional senior officer. Staffing is currently in place within the Director of the Peace Corps' organization, for an Office of Volunteer Safety and Security and an Office of Medical Services. Under the bill, the Inspector General would be appointed by the President and control his own budget. CBO estimates that the change in status of the Inspector General and the new reporting requirements would not significantly affect spending.
H.R. 4060 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.
The CBO staff contact is Joseph C. Whitehill. This estimate was approved by Peter H. Fontaine, Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.
