IIB 

Calendar No. 754 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 7832 

[Report No. 118–334] 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 24, 2024 

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and 

Governmental Affairs 

DECEMBER 19 (legislative day, DECEMBER 16), 2024 

Reported by Mr. PETERS, with an amendment and an amendment to the title 

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

AN ACT 

To require the Secretary of Homeland Security to develop 

a plan to identify, integrate, and deploy new, innovative, 

disruptive, or other emerging or advanced technologies 

to enhance, or address capability gaps in, border security 

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, 


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Emerging Innovative 

3 Border Technologies Act’’. 

4 SEC. 2. INNOVATIVE AND EMERGING BORDER TECH5 NOLOGY PLAN. 

6 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 

7 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Home8 land Security, acting through the Commissioner of U.S. 

9 Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Under 

10 Secretary for Science and Technology of the Department 

11 of Homeland Security, shall submit to the Committee on 

12 Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and 

13 the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 

14 Affairs of the Senate a plan to identify, integrate, and de15 ploy new, innovative, disruptive, or other emerging or ad16 vanced technologies that may incorporate artificial intel17 ligence, machine-learning, automation, fiber-optic sensing 

18 technology, nanotechnology, optical and cognitive radar, 

19 modeling and simulation technology, hyperspectral and 

20 LIDAR sensors, imaging, identification, and categoriza21 tion systems, or other emerging or advanced technologies, 

22 to enhance, or address capability gaps in, border security 

23 operations. 

24 (b) CONTENTS.—The plan required under subsection 

25 (a) shall include the following: 


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1 (1) Information regarding how CBP utilizes 

2 CBP Innovation Team authority under subsection 

3 (c) and other mechanisms to carry out the purposes 

4 specified in subsection (a). 

5 (2) An assessment of the contributions directly 

6 attributable to such utilization. 

7 (3) Information regarding the composition of 

8 each CBP Innovation Team, and how each such 

9 Team coordinates and integrates efforts with the 

10 CBP acquisition program office and other partners 

11 within CBP and the Department of Homeland Secu12 rity. 

13 (4) Identification of technologies used by other 

14 Federal departments or agencies not in use by CBP 

15 that could assist in enhancing, or addressing capa16 bility gaps in, border security operations. 

17 (5) An analysis of authorities available to CBP 

18 to procure technologies referred to subsection (a), 

19 and an assessment as to whether additional or alter20 native authorities are needed to carry out the pur21 poses specified in such subsection. 

22 (6) An explanation of how CBP plans to scale 

23 existing programs related to emerging or advanced 

24 technologies into programs of record. 


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1 (7) A description of each planned security-re2 lated technology program, including objectives, goals, 

3 and timelines for each such program. 

4 (8) An assessment of the privacy and security 

5 impact on border communities of security-related 

6 technology. 

7 (9) An assessment of CBP legacy border tech8 nology programs that could be phased out and re9 placed by technologies referred to in subsection (a), 

10 and cost estimates relating to such phase out and 

11 replacement. 

12 (10) Information relating to how CBP is coordi13 nating with the Department of Homeland Security’s 

14 Science and Technology Directorate to— 

15 (A) research and develop new, innovative, 

16 disruptive, or other emerging or advanced tech17 nologies to carry out the purposes specified in 

18 subsection (a); 

19 (B) identify security-related technologies 

20 that are in development or deployed by the pri21 vate and public sectors that may satisfy the 

22 mission needs of CBP, with or without adapta23 tion; 

24 (C) incentivize the private sector to develop 

25 technologies that may help CBP meet mission 


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1 needs to enhance, or address capability gaps in, 

2 border security operations; and 

3 (D) identify and assess ways to increase 

4 opportunities for communication and collabora5 tion with the private sector, small and dis6 advantaged businesses, intra-governmental enti7 ties, university centers of excellence, and Fed8 eral laboratories to leverage emerging tech9 nology and research within the public and pri10 vate sectors. 

11 (11) Information on metrics and key perform12 ance parameters for evaluating the effectiveness of 

13 efforts to identify, integrate, and deploy new, inno14 vative, disruptive, or other emerging or advanced 

15 technologies to carry out the purposes specified in 

16 subsection (a). 

17 (12) An identification of recent technological 

18 advancements in the following: 

19 (A) Manned aircraft sensor, communica20 tion, and common operating picture technology. 

21 (B) Unmanned aerial systems and related 

22 technology, including counter-unmanned aerial 

23 system technology. 

24 (C) Surveillance technology, including the 

25 following: 


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1 (i) Mobile surveillance vehicles. 

2 (ii) Associated electronics, including 

3 cameras, sensor technology, and radar. 

4 (iii) Tower-based surveillance tech5 nology. 

6 (iv) Advanced unattended surveillance 

7 sensors. 

8 (v) Deployable, lighter-than-air, 

9 ground surveillance equipment. 

10 (D) Nonintrusive inspection technology, in11 cluding non-X-ray devices utilizing muon to12 mography and other advanced detection tech13 nology. 

14 (E) Tunnel detection technology. 

15 (F) Communications equipment, including 

16 the following: 

17 (i) Radios. 

18 (ii) Long-term evolution broadband. 

19 (iii) Miniature satellites. 

20 (13) Any other information the Secretary deter21 mines relevant. 

22 (c) CBP INNOVATION TEAM AUTHORITY.— 

23 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Commissioner of CBP 

24 is authorized to maintain one or more CBP Innova25 tion Teams to research and adapt commercial techVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:54 Dec 21, 2024 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6401 E:\BILLS\H7832.RS H7832

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1 nologies that are new, innovative, disruptive, or oth2 erwise emerging or advanced that may be used by 

3 CBP to enhance, or address capability gaps in bor4 der security operations and urgent mission needs, 

5 and assess potential outcomes, to include any nega6 tive consequences, of the introduction of emerging or 

7 advanced technologies with respect to which docu8 mented capability gaps in border security operations 

9 are yet to be determined. 

10 (2) OPERATING PROCEDURES, PLANNING, STRA11 TEGIC GOALS.—The Commissioner of CBP shall re12 quire each team maintained pursuant to paragraph 

13 (1) to establish the following: 

14 (A) Operating procedures that include 

15 specificity regarding roles and responsibilities 

16 within each such team and with respect to De17 partment of Homeland Security and non-Fed18 eral partners, and protocols for entering into 

19 agreements to rapidly transition such tech20 nologies to existing or new programs of record 

21 to carry out the purposes specified in subsection 

22 (a). 

23 (B) Planning and strategic goals for each 

24 such team that includes projected costs, time 

25 frames, metrics, and key performance paramVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:54 Dec 21, 2024 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6401 E:\BILLS\H7832.RS H7832

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1 eters relating to the achievement of identified 

2 strategic goals, including a metric to measure 

3 the rate at which technologies described in sub4 section (a) are transitioned to existing or new 

5 programs of record in accordance with subpara6 graph (A) 

7 (3) REPORTING.—Not later than 180 days after 

8 the date of the enactment of this Act and annually 

9 thereafter, the Commissioner of CBP shall submit to 

10 the Committee on Homeland Security of the House 

11 of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland 

12 Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate in13 formation relating to the activities CBP Innovation 

14 Teams, including information regarding the fol15 lowing: 

16 (A) Copies of operating procedures and 

17 protocols under paragraph (2)(A) and planning 

18 and strategic goals required under paragraph 

19 (2)(B). 

20 (B) Descriptions of the technologies piloted 

21 by each such team over the immediately pre22 ceding fiscal year, including information regard23 ing which such technologies are determined suc24 cessful and an identification of documented ca25 pability gaps that are addressed. 


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1 (C) Information on the status of efforts to 

2 rapidly transition technologies determined suc3 cessful to existing or new programs of record. 

4 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

5 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Emerging Innovative 

6 Border Technologies Act’’. 

7 SEC. 2. INNOVATIVE AND EMERGING BORDER TECHNOLOGY 

8 PLAN. 

9 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 

10 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland 

11 Security, acting through the Commissioner for U.S. Cus12 toms and Border Protection (referred to in this section as 

13 ‘‘CBP’’) and the Under Secretary for Science and Tech14 nology of the Department of Homeland Security, in con15 sultation with the Department’s Chief Information Officer, 

16 Chief Procurement Officer, Privacy Officer, Civil Right and 

17 Civil Liberties Officer, General Counsel, and any other rel18 evant offices and components of the Department of Home19 land Security, shall submit a plan to the Committee on 

20 Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate 

21 and the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of 

22 Representatives for identifying, integrating, and deploying 

23 new, innovative, disruptive, or other emerging or advanced 

24 technologies that are safe and secure to enhance CBP capaVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:54 Dec 21, 2024 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\H7832.RS H7832

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1 bilities to meet its mission needs along international bor2 ders or at ports of entry. 

3 (b) CONTENTS.—The plan required under subsection 

4 (a) shall include— 

5 (1) information regarding how CBP utilizes the 

6 CBP Innovation Team authority under subsection (c) 

7 and other mechanisms to carry out the purposes de8 scribed in subsection (a); 

9 (2) an assessment of the contributions directly 

10 attributable to such utilization; 

11 (3) information regarding— 

12 (A) the composition of each CBP Innova13 tion Team; and 

14 (B) how each CBP Innovation Team coordi15 nates and integrates efforts with the CBP acqui16 sition program office and other partners within 

17 CBP and the Department of Homeland Security; 

18 (4) the identification of technologies used by 

19 other Federal departments or agencies not in use by 

20 CBP that could assist in enhancing mission needs 

21 along international borders or at ports of entry; 

22 (5) an analysis of authorities available to CBP 

23 to procure technologies referred to in subsection (a); 


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1 (6) an assessment of whether additional or alter2 native authorities are needed to carry out the pur3 poses described in subsection (a); 

4 (7) an explanation of how CBP plans to scale 

5 existing programs related to emerging or advanced 

6 technologies that are safe and secure into programs of 

7 record; 

8 (8) a description of each planned security-related 

9 technology program, including objectives, goals, and 

10 timelines for each such program; 

11 (9) an assessment of the potential privacy, civil 

12 rights, civil liberties, and safety impacts of these tech13 nologies on individuals, and potential mitigation 

14 measures; 

15 (10) an assessment of CBP legacy border tech16 nology programs that could be phased out and re17 placed with technologies referred to in subsection (a), 

18 including cost estimates relating to such phase out 

19 and replacement; 

20 (11) information relating to how CBP is coordi21 nating with the Department of Homeland Security’s 

22 Science and Technology Directorate— 

23 (A) to research and develop new, innovative, 

24 disruptive, or other emerging or advanced techVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:54 Dec 21, 2024 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00011 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\H7832.RS H7832

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1 nologies that are safe and secure to carry out the 

2 purposes described in subsection (a); 

3 (B) to identify new, innovative, disruptive, 

4 or other emerging or advanced technologies that 

5 are safe and secure and that are in development 

6 or have been deployed by the private and public 

7 sectors and may satisfy the mission needs of 

8 CBP, with or without adaptation; 

9 (C) to incentivize the private sector to de10 velop technologies, including privacy enhancing 

11 technologies, that may help CBP meet mission 

12 needs to enhance, or address capability gaps in, 

13 border security operations; and 

14 (D) to identify and assess ways to increase 

15 opportunities for communication and collabora16 tion with the private sector, small, and dis17 advantaged businesses, intra-governmental enti18 ties, university centers of excellence, and Federal 

19 laboratories to leverage emerging technology and 

20 research within the public and private sectors; 

21 (12) information relating to CBP’s coordination 

22 with the Department of Homeland Security official 

23 responsible for artificial intelligence policy to ensure 

24 the plan complies with the Department’s policies and 


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1 measures promoting responsible use of artificial intel2 ligence; 

3 (13) information regarding metrics and key per4 formance parameters for evaluating the effectiveness 

5 of efforts to identify, integrate, and deploy new, inno6 vative, disruptive, or other emerging or advanced 

7 technologies that are safe and secure to carry out the 

8 purposes described in subsection (a); 

9 (14) the identification of recent technological ad10 vancements relating to— 

11 (A) manned aircraft sensor, communica12 tion, and common operating picture technology; 

13 (B) unmanned aerial systems and related 

14 technology, including counter-unmanned aerial 

15 system technology; 

16 (C) surveillance technology, including— 

17 (i) mobile surveillance vehicles; 

18 (ii) associated electronics, including 

19 cameras, sensor technology, and radar; 

20 (iii) tower-based surveillance tech21 nology; 

22 (iv) advanced unattended surveillance 

23 sensors; and 

24 (v) deployable, lighter-than-air, ground 

25 surveillance equipment; 


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1 (D) nonintrusive inspection technology, in2 cluding non-X-ray devices utilizing muon tomog3 raphy and other advanced detection technology; 

4 (E) tunnel detection technology; 

5 (F) communications equipment, includ6 ing— 

7 (i) radios; 

8 (ii) long-term evolution broadband; 

9 (iii) miniature satellites; 

10 (15) information relating to how CBP is coordi11 nating with the Department of Homeland Security’s 

12 Chief Information Officer, Chief Technology Officer, 

13 Privacy Officer, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Offi14 cer, General Counsel, and other relevant offices and 

15 components of the Department in researching, devel16 oping, acquiring, or scaling new, innovative, disrup17 tive, or other emerging or advanced technologies that 

18 are safe and secure; and 

19 (16) any other information the Secretary deter20 mines to be relevant. 

21 (c) CBP INNOVATION TEAM AUTHORITY.— 

22 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Commissioner for CBP is 

23 authorized to maintain 1 or more CBP Innovation 

24 Teams to research and adapt commercial technologies 

25 that are new, innovative, disruptive, privacy enhancVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:54 Dec 21, 2024 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00014 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\H7832.RS H7832

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1 ing, or otherwise emerging or advanced and may be 

2 used by CBP— 

3 (A) to enhance mission needs along inter4 national borders and at ports of entry; and 

5 (B) to assess potential outcomes, including 

6 any negative consequences, of the introduction of 

7 emerging or advanced technologies with respect 

8 to which documented capability gaps in border 

9 security operations are yet to be determined. 

10 (2) FUNCTIONS.—Each CBP Innovation Team 

11 shall— 

12 (A) operate consistent with the Department 

13 of Homeland Security’s and CBP’s— 

14 (i) procurement and acquisition man15 agement policy; and 

16 (ii) policies pertaining to responsible 

17 use of artificial intelligence; and 

18 (B) consult with the Officer for Civil Rights 

19 and Civil Liberties and the Privacy Officer of 

20 the Department of Homeland Security to ensure 

21 programs, policies, and procedures involving 

22 civil rights, civil liberties, and privacy consider23 ations are addressed in an integrated and com24 prehensive manner. 


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1 (3) OPERATING PROCEDURES, PLANNING, STRA2 TEGIC GOALS.—The Commissioner for CBP shall re3 quire each CBP Innovation Team maintained pursu4 ant to paragraph (1) to establish, in coordination 

5 with other appropriate offices of the Department of 

6 Homeland Security— 

7 (A) operating procedures, which shall in8 clude— 

9 (i) specificity regarding roles and re10 sponsibilities within each such team and 

11 with respect to Department of Homeland 

12 Security and non-Federal partners; and 

13 (ii) protocols for entering into agree14 ments to rapidly transition such tech15 nologies to existing or new programs of 

16 record to carry out the purposes described 

17 in subsection (a); 

18 (B) planning and strategic goals for each 

19 such team that includes projected costs, time 

20 frames, metrics, and key performance parameters 

21 relating to the achievement of identified strategic 

22 goals, including a metric to measure the rate at 

23 which technologies described in subsection (a) are 

24 transitioned to existing or new programs of 


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1 record in accordance with subparagraph (A); 

2 and 

3 (C) operating procedures that ensure each 

4 such team is in compliance with all applicable 

5 laws, rules, and regulations and with the De6 partment of Homeland Security’s policies per7 taining to procurement and acquisition manage8 ment, privacy, civil rights and civil liberties, 

9 and the responsible use of artificial intelligence, 

10 including risk assessments and ongoing moni11 toring to ensure accuracy and reliability. 

12 (4) ANNUAL REPORT.—Not later than 180 days 

13 after the date of the enactment of this Act and annu14 ally thereafter, the Commissioner for CBP shall sub15 mit to the Committee on Homeland Security and 

16 Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Com17 mittee on Homeland Security of the House of Rep18 resentatives information relating to the activities of 

19 CBP Innovation Teams, including— 

20 (A) copies of operating procedures and pro21 tocols required under paragraph (2)(A) and 

22 planning and strategic goals required under 

23 paragraph (2)(B); 


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1 (B) descriptions of the technologies piloted 

2 by each such team during the immediately pre3 ceding fiscal year, including— 

4 (i) information regarding which such 

5 technologies are determined to have been 

6 successful; and 

7 (ii) the identification of documented 

8 capability gaps that are being addressed; 

9 and 

10 (C) information regarding the status of ef11 forts to rapidly transition technologies deter12 mined successful to existing or new programs of 

13 record. 

14 (d) COST-BENEFIT.—Before initiating the large-scale 

15 deployment of any new technology contained in the plan 

16 required under subsection (a), the Secretary of Homeland 

17 Security shall consider the costs and benefits to the Govern18 ment to ensure that the deployment of such technology will 

19 provide quantifiable improvements to border security. 

Amend the title so as to read: ‘‘An Act to require 

the Secretary of Homeland Security to develop a plan to 

identify, integrate, and deploy new, innovative, disruptive, 

or other emerging or advanced technologies that are safe 

and secure to enhance U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s capabilities to meet its mission needs along international borders and at ports of entry.’’. 


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Calendar No. 754 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 7832 

[Report No. 118–334] 

AN ACT 

To require the Secretary of Homeland Security to 

D

for other purposes. pability gaps in, border security operations, and advanced technologies to enhance, or address canew, innovative, disruptive, or other emerging or develop a plan to identify, integrate, and deploy 

ECEMBER 19 (legislative day, DECEMBER 16), 2024 

Reported with an amendment and an amendment to the 

title 


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