H.R. 2158, Countering Transnational Repression Act of 2025

H.R. 2158 would establish the Transnational Repression Working Group within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The task force would monitor and analyze actions by foreign governments that threaten or intimidate citizens, residents, or other people present in the United States, as well as any related terrorism threats. The bill would require the working group to report annually to the Congress about incidents of transnational repression and related terrorism threats from the previous year. Under the bill, the working group would terminate seven years after enactment. The bill also would require DHS to conduct, to the extent practicable, research and development on technology to enhance the department’s support to federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial governments in countering transnational repression.

Based on the costs of similar activities, CBO expects that DHS would need five employees at an average annual cost of $180,000 per employee to staff the working group and complete the bill’s reporting requirements. Because DHS already conducts research and development to enhance its security and intergovernmental awareness, CBO expects that implementing that provision would cost less than $500,000. On that basis, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 2158 would cost $5 million over the 2025-2030 period. Any related spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.

The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Jeremy Crimm. The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.