Email Privacy Act Would Impose 'No Significant Cost' on Government, Says CBO

The Congressional Budget Office said enacting the Email Privacy Act (HR-699), which updates the Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986, "would have no significant cost to the federal government." CBO said in a one-page report Monday that "enacting the legislation would not affect direct spending or revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply." It said HR-699, which is set for a House floor vote Wednesday, "would not increase net direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2027." CBO said the bill includes no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates, nor would it impose costs on state, local or tribal governments. The legislation would close a loophole that allowed law enforcement agencies to access an American's private emails and other stored electronic content -- if the content is more than six months old -- without a warrant during criminal investigations. The bill would require a warrant in all instances. HR-699 has more than 300 co-sponsors and was unanimously approved by the House Judiciary Committee April 13 (see 1604130036).