II 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 4642 

To require a comprehensive southern border strategy, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JULY 27, 2022 

Mr. TILLIS (for himself, Mr. HAGERTY, and Mrs. HYDE-SMITH) introduced 

the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee 

on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs 

A BILL 

To require a comprehensive southern border strategy, and 

for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Comprehensive South5 ern Border Strategy Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. COMPREHENSIVE SOUTHERN BORDER STRATEGY. 

7 (a) COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY.— 

8 (1) REQUIREMENT.—Not later than 12 months 

9 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec10 retary of Homeland Security shall submit to the 


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1 Committee on Homeland Security of the House of 

2 Representatives and the Committee on Homeland 

3 Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a 

4 comprehensive southern border strategy. 

5 (2) CONTENTS.—The strategy submitted under 

6 paragraph (1) shall include— 

7 (A) a comprehensive overview of the cur8 rent security risks present along the southern 

9 border, including relating to deficiencies along 

10 the physical border, aerial and maritime 

11 vulnerabilities, and the presence of illegal tun12 neling; 

13 (B) a substantive review of the Depart14 ment of Homeland Security’s technology, tools, 

15 or other devices used to combat the trafficking 

16 of drugs across the southern border, with an 

17 emphasis on fentanyl and related substances; 

18 (C) a thorough outline of the Department’s 

19 technology, tools, or other devices used to com20 bat human trafficking across the southern bor21 der by international criminal organizations; 

22 (D) a list of known physical barriers, tech23 nologies, tools, and other devices that can be 

24 used to achieve and maintain situational awareVerDate Sep 11 2014 06:02 Jul 29, 2022 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S4642.IS S4642

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1 ness and operational control along the southern 

2 border; 

3 (E) a projected per mile cost estimate for 

4 each physical barrier, technology, tool, and 

5 other device included on the list required under 

6 subparagraph (B); 

7 (F) a detailed account of which type of 

8 physical barrier, technology, tool, or other de9 vice the Department of Homeland Security be10 lieves is necessary to achieve and maintain situ11 ational awareness and operational control for 

12 each linear mile of the southern border; 

13 (G) an explanation for why such physical 

14 barrier, technology, tool, or other device was 

15 chosen to achieve and maintain situational 

16 awareness and operational control for each lin17 ear mile of the southern border, including— 

18 (i) the methodology used to determine 

19 which type of physical barrier, technology, 

20 tool, or other device was chosen for such 

21 linear mile; 

22 (ii) an examination of existing man23 made and natural barriers for each linear 

24 mile of the southern border; and 


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1 (iii) the information collected and 

2 evaluated from— 

3 (I) the appropriate U.S. Customs 

4 and Border Protection Sector Chief; 

5 (II) the Joint Task Force Com6 mander; 

7 (III) the appropriate State Gov8 ernor; 

9 (IV) local law enforcement offi10 cials; 

11 (V) private property owners; and 

12 (VI) other affected stakeholders; 

13 (H) a per mile cost calculation for each 

14 linear mile of the southern border given the 

15 type of physical barrier, technology, tool, or 

16 other device chosen to achieve and maintain 

17 operational control for each linear mile; and 

18 (I) a cost justification for each time a 

19 more expensive physical barrier, technology, 

20 tool, or other device is chosen over a less expen21 sive option, as established by the per mile cost 

22 estimates required in subparagraph (B). 

23 (b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

24 (1) OPERATIONAL CONTROL.—The term ‘‘oper25 ational control’’ has the meaning given such term in 


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1 section 2(b) of the Secure Fence Act of 2006 (8 

2 U.S.C. 1701 note; Public Law 109–367). 

3 (2) SITUATIONAL AWARENESS.—The term ‘‘sit4 uational awareness’’ has the meaning given the term 

5 in section 1092(a)(7) of the National Defense Au6 thorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 

7 114–328). 

Æ 


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