S. 2972 would amend federal law pertaining to awards of grants across federal agencies. The legislation would require agencies to conduct additional evaluation of applicants for merit-based grants, to upgrade federal websites related to grants, and to prepare additional reports.
S. 2972 would largely codify existing practices for merit-based grants. CBO estimates that implementing changes to the grant-award system as required under S. 2972 would cost less than $1 million annually over the 2017-2021 period, subject to the availability of appropriated funds.
Enacting the bill also could affect direct spending by agencies not funded through annual appropriations; therefore, pay-as- you-go procedures would apply. CBO estimates, however, that any net increase in spending by those agencies would not be significant. Enacting S. 2972 would not affect revenues.
S. 2972 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments.