H.R. 1398 would require the Department of Justice (DOJ) to establish a program to counter espionage, theft of intellectual property and trade secrets, and threats to critical infrastructure posed by the Chinese government. The bill also would require DOJ to report to the Congress annually on the program’s activities. The bill’s requirements would expire six years after enactment. 

Based on the costs of similar activities, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 1398 would cost less than $500,000 over the 2024-2029 period, primarily to comply with the bill’s reporting requirements. Any related spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds. Because DOJ already addresses threats posed by the Chinese government, CBO estimates that the cost of implementing those provisions would be insignificant.