To achieve operational control of and improve security at the international land borders of the United States, and for other purposes.

Summary: Secure Border Act of 2012 - Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to submit to the appropriate congressional committees a comprehensive strategy for gaining, within five years, operational control of the international borders between U.S. ports of entry.

Requires such strategy to include an analysis of: (1) staffing requirements; (2) infrastructure needs; (3) the use of unmanned aerial vehicles, camera technology, sensors, and other innovative technology; (4) cooperative agreements with international, state, local, tribal, and other federal law enforcement agencies; (5) other means designed to respond to unlawful cross-border activity and to reduce the level of violence; (6) a schedule for implementing security measures; (7) a plan for major surveillance and detection technology programs; and (8) the recommendations made in the Government Accountability Office (GAO) report "Enhanced DHS Oversight and Assessment of Interagency Coordination is Needed for the Northern Border." Directs the Secretary to develop metrics to measure security effectiveness at ports of entry which shall consider: (1) the number of infractions related to personnel and cargo committed by major violators; (2) the required number of U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers, Agricultural Specialists, and Canine Enforcement Officers necessary to achieve operational control; (3) infrastructure improvements; (4) resource deployment; and (5) the recommendations made in such GAO report.

Sets forth reporting requirements.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Secure Border Act of 2012''.

SEC. 2. STRATEGY TO ACHIEVE OPERATIONAL CONTROL OF THE BORDER.

    (a) Strategy to Secure the Border Between the Ports of Entry.--Not 
later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit to the appropriate 
congressional committees a comprehensive strategy for gaining, within 
five years, operational control of the international borders between 
the ports of entry of the United States. The strategy shall include an 
analysis of the following:
            (1) Staffing requirements for all border security 
        functions.
            (2) Investment in infrastructure, including pedestrian 
        fencing, vehicle barriers, and roads.
            (3) The use of unmanned aerial vehicles, camera technology, 
        sensors, and other innovative technology as the Secretary may 
        determine.
            (4) Cooperative agreements with international, State, 
        local, tribal, and other Federal law enforcement agencies that 
        have jurisdiction on the northern border and southern border.
            (5) Other means designed to detect, respond to, and 
        interdict unlawful cross-border activity and to reduce the 
        level of violence.
            (6) A schedule for implementing security measures, 
        including a prioritization for future investments.
            (7) A comprehensive technology plan for major surveillance 
        and detection technology programs, including a justification 
        and rationale for technology choices and deployment locations.
            (8) The recommendations made in the December 2010 
        Government Accountability Office report entitled ``Enhanced DHS 
        Oversight and Assessment of Interagency Coordination is Needed 
        for the Northern Border''.
    (b) Securing the Border at Ports of Entry.--Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland 
Security shall develop metrics to measure the effectiveness of security 
at ports of entry, which shall consider, at minimum, the following:
            (1) The number of infractions related to personnel and 
        cargo committed by major violators who are apprehended by U.S. 
        Customs and Border Protection at such ports of entry.
            (2) The estimated number of such infractions committed by 
        major violators who are not so apprehended.
            (3) The required number of U.S. Customs and Border 
        Protection Officers, Agricultural Specialists, and Canine 
        Enforcement Officers necessary to achieve operational control 
        at such ports of entry.
            (4) Infrastructure improvements required to achieve 
        operational control at such ports of entry, including the 
        installation of nonintrusive detection equipment, radiation 
        portal monitors, biometrics, and other sensors and technology 
        that the Secretary determines necessary.
            (5) The deployment of resources based on the overall 
        commercial and passenger traffic, cargo volume, and threat 
        environment at such ports of entry.
            (6) The recommendations made in the December 2010 
        Government Accountability Office report entitled ``Enhanced DHS 
        Oversight and Assessment of Interagency Coordination is Needed 
        for the Northern Border''.
    (c) Evaluation by Department of Energy National Laboratory.--The 
Secretary of Homeland Security shall request the head of an appropriate 
Department of Energy National Laboratory with prior expertise in border 
security to evaluate the measurement system required under subsection 
(b) to ensure its suitability and statistical validity for analyzing 
progress for the interdiction of illegal crossing and contraband at 
ports of entry.
    (d) Consideration of Alternative Border Security Standards.--If in 
developing the strategic plan required under subsection (a) the 
Secretary of Homeland Security makes a determination to measure 
security between border ports of entry by a standard other than 
operational control, the Secretary shall request the head of an 
appropriate Department of Energy National Laboratory with prior 
expertise in border security to evaluate such alternative standard to 
ensure the suitability and statistical validity of such standard with 
respect to measuring the progress for the interdiction of illegal 
crossings and contraband that pass between such ports of entry.
    (e) Reports.--Not later than 60 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act and annually thereafter, the Secretary of 
Homeland Security shall submit the appropriate congressional committee 
a report on the following:
            (1) A resource allocation model for current and future year 
        staffing requirements that includes optimal staffing levels at 
        all land, air, and sea ports of entry and an explanation of 
        U.S. Customs and Border Protection methodology for aligning 
        staffing levels and workload to threats and vulnerabilities 
        across all mission areas.
            (2) Detailed information on the level of manpower data 
        available at all land, air, and sea ports of entry, including 
        the number of canine and agricultural officers assigned to each 
        such port of entry.
    (f) Definitions.--In this Act:
            (1) Appropriate congressional committee.--The term 
        ``appropriate congressional committee'' means the Committee on 
        Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the 
        Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the 
        Senate.
            (2) Major violator.--The term ``major violator'' means a 
        person or entity that is or has engaged in serious criminal 
        activities at any land, air, or sea port of entry, including 
        possession of narcotics, smuggling of prohibited products, 
        human smuggling, weapons possession, use of fraudulent United 
        States documents, and other offenses serious enough to result 
        in arrest.
            (3) Operational control.--The term ``operational control'' 
        has the meaning given such term in section 2(b) of the Secure 
        Fence Act of 2006 (8 U.S.C. 1701 note; Public Law 109-367).

            Passed the House of Representatives May 30, 2012.

            Attest:

                                                 KAREN L. HAAS,

                                                                 Clerk.