I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 10499 

To establish a pilot program on home kenneling of canines for U.S. Customs 

and Border Protection’s Office of Field Operations, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

DECEMBER 18, 2024 

Mr. MENENDEZ (for himself, Mrs. MCIVER, and Mr. LUTTRELL) introduced 

the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security 

A BILL 

To establish a pilot program on home kenneling of canines 

for U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Field 

Operations, 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 ‘‘CBP Canine Home 

5 Kenneling Pilot Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM ON CANINE HOME KENNELING 

7 PROGRAM. 

8 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after the 

9 date of the enactment of this Act, the Executive Assistant 

10 Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s 


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 10499 IH

1 (CBP) Office of Field Operations (OFO) shall establish 

2 a pilot program (in this section referred to as the ‘‘pilot 

3 program’’) to assess whether a canine home kenneling pro4 gram would benefit the OFO, including both canine han5 dlers and canines. 

6 (b) GUIDANCE.— 

7 (1) IN GENERAL.—Prior to establishing the 

8 pilot program, the Executive Assistant Commis9 sioner shall distribute written guidance for Field Of10 fices of OFO to use while implementing the canine 

11 home kenneling pilot program. 

12 (2) CONSULTATION.—In developing the guid13 ance referred to in paragraph (1), the Executive As14 sistant Commissioner shall consult with the following 

15 entities: 

16 (A) Components of the Department of 

17 Homeland Security that utilize home kenneling. 

18 (B) The Office of Health Security of the 

19 Department of Homeland Security. 

20 (C) Representatives of the National Treas21 ury Employees Union. 

22 (c) TRAINING.—Prior to establishing the pilot pro23 gram, the Executive Assistant Commissioner shall carry 

24 out the following: 


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 10499 IH

1 (1) Establish training for canine handlers par2 ticipating in the pilot program to take full responsi3 bility of a canine’s daily care, including feeding, ex4 ercise, and medical needs. 

5 (2) Disseminate best practices for the integra6 tion of a working canine into the canine handler’s 

7 residence. 

8 (d) REQUIREMENTS.—In carrying out the pilot pro9 gram, the Executive Assistant Commissioner shall carry 

10 out the following: 

11 (1) Ensure that not fewer than ten ports of 

12 entry participate in the pilot program. 

13 (2) Ensure that canines assigned to seaports, 

14 airports, and land ports of entry in both urban and 

15 rural locations participate in the pilot program. 

16 (3) Provide for the participation of canine han17 dlers on a voluntary basis. 

18 (4) Continue the pilot program for a period of 

19 not less than two years. 

20 (5) Terminate the pilot program not more than 

21 three years after the establishment of the pilot pro22 gram. 

23 (e) BRIEFING AND REPORT TO CONGRESS.— 

24 (1) BRIEFING.—Not later than one year after 

25 the date of the enactment of this Act, the Executive 


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 10499 IH

1 Assistant Commissioner shall provide to the appro2 priate congressional committees a briefing describing 

3 the guidance, training and requirements for the pilot 

4 program. 

5 (2) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after 

6 the termination of the pilot program, the Executive 

7 Assistant Commissioner shall submit to the appro8 priate congressional committees a report that in9 cludes the following: 

10 (A) Information relating to the number 

11 and location of participating canine teams. 

12 (B) Findings of the pilot program, includ13 ing a cost-benefit, job performance, health, and 

14 wellbeing analysis comparing use of home 

15 kenneling with centralized kenneling practices. 

16 (C) Recommendations regarding the con17 tinued use of home kenneling for CBP Office of 

18 Field Operations. 

19 (f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

20 (1) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMIT21 TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com22 mittees’’ means— 

23 (A) the Committee on Homeland Security 

24 in the House of Representatives; and 


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
5 

•HR 10499 IH

1 (B) the Committee on Homeland Security 

2 and Governmental Affairs in the Senate. 

3 (2) HOME KENNELING.—The term ‘‘home 

4 kenneling’’ means the practice whereby canines used 

5 for Federal law enforcement purposes are housed 

6 and cared for at the residences of their assigned 

7 handlers instead of a centralized facility owned or 

8 contracted by a Federal agency. 

Æ 


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS