I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8015 

To ensure the Department of Homeland Security is appropriately measuring 

the scope of certain border security matters, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 16, 2024 

Mr. STANTON (for himself and Mr. CISCOMANI) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security 

A BILL 

To ensure the Department of Homeland Security is appropriately measuring the scope of certain border security 

matters, 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 ‘‘Data for a Secured 

5 Border Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. MATTERS RELATING TO BORDER SECURITY. 

7 (a) BORDER SECURITY METRICS.— 

8 (1) ANNUAL REPORTS.—The Secretary of 

9 Homeland Security, in coordination with the Execu10 tive Director of the Office of Homeland Security 


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1 Statistics, shall submit to the Committee on Home2 land Security, the Committee on the Judiciary, and 

3 the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 

4 Representatives and the Committee on Homeland 

5 Security and Governmental Affairs, the Committee 

6 on the Judiciary, and the Committee on Foreign Re7 lations of the Senate an annual report that— 

8 (A) assesses the usefulness of the border 

9 security metrics described in section 1092 of 

10 the National Defense Authorization Act for Fis11 cal Year 2017 (Public Law 114–328; 6 U.S.C. 

12 223) that are utilized in preparing the reports 

13 required under such section; and 

14 (B) makes recommendations for any up15 dates to such border security metrics. 

16 (2) TIMING.—Each report under this subsection 

17 shall be submitted at the same time as each report 

18 required under such section 1092. 

19 (b) JOINT CAPABILITIES.—Not later than one year 

20 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 

21 of Homeland Security, in cooperation and collaboration 

22 with the Under Secretary for Management of the Depart23 ment of Homeland Security and the Deputy’s Manage24 ment Action Group (DMAG) of the Department, shall 

25 submit to the Committee on Homeland Security, the ComVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:18 Apr 25, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H8015.IH H8015

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1 mittee on the Judiciary, and the Committee on Foreign 

2 Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Com3 mittee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, 

4 the Committee on the Judiciary, and the Committee on 

5 Foreign Relations of the Senate a report that includes the 

6 following: 

7 (1) An assessment of the workforce, authorities, 

8 and responsibilities of the Joint Requirements Coun9 cil (JRC) of the Department. 

10 (2) A determination regarding whether the JRC 

11 is meeting its intent, including whether the JRC im12 plements a joint requirements process or any addi13 tional responsibility that the Secretary has assigned 

14 to it, including relating to the following: 

15 (A) The validation of any evaluation, as 

16 appropriate, by a component, support compo17 nent, or office, of the Department that— 

18 (i) identifies any capability gaps, 

19 redundancies, or overlaps; and 

20 (ii) provides recommendations for ei21 ther materiel or nonmateriel solutions to 

22 address any such capability gap, redun23 dancy, or overlap. 


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1 (B) The submission of such validation to 

2 department leadership for consideration in in3 vestment decisions. 

4 (3) An identification of the position within the 

5 Department responsible for implementing a joint re6 quirements process that validates an evaluation by a 

7 component of the Department that identifies any ca8 pability gaps, redundancies, or overlaps pursuant to 

9 paragraph (2)(A). 

10 (4) An identification of the officer or official of 

11 the Department who oversees the JRC’s activities 

12 and responsibilities, including the JRC’s reporting 

13 responsibilities to the DMAG. 

14 (5) A description of how the JRC is assisting 

15 the Department’s efforts in performing border secu16 rity-related missions and assisting incorporation of 

17 technological advances into border management 

18 based on available resources, such as the flow of 

19 fentanyl across the border and the backlog of mi20 grant processing. 

21 (6) A review of the progress of the Depart22 ment’s engagement with the JRC to carry out the 

23 following: 

24 (A) Review the JRC’s recommendations. 


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1 (B) Approve or direct related follow-on ac2 tivities. 

3 (C) Provide direction and guidance to the 

4 JRC. 

5 (7) A review of the JRC’s recommendations, 

6 the approval and direct related follow-on activities, 

7 and the direction and guidance to the JRC from the 

8 Secretary or the Secretary’s designee. 

9 (8) A description of how Department senior 

10 leadership makes use of JRC analyses and associ11 ated products. 

12 (9) An evaluation of the placement of the JRC 

13 within the Management Directorate of the Depart14 ment to ensure such placement aligns fully with the 

15 JRC’s mission and maintains the JRC’s independ16 ence. 

17 (10) An evaluation of the role of the JRC and 

18 broader Department internal communications of 

19 needs and requirements, and how the processes for 

20 communicating and documenting such needs and re21 quirements can be improved at the Department. 

22 (c) OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE NEEDS.—The reports 

23 required under subsections (a) and (b) shall also be sub24 mitted to the following: 


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1 (1) Homeland Security Investigations of U.S. 

2 Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, with any 

3 illicit drug highlights. 

4 (2) The Office of National Drug Control Policy 

5 (ONDCP), with any illicit drug highlights. 

6 (3) The Drug Enforcement Administration, 

7 with any illicit drug highlights. 

8 (4) The Federal Emergency Management Agen9 cy, with any migrant crossing surges that would 

10 cross the threshold into emergency situations. 

11 (5) The Department of Justice, including law 

12 enforcement agencies of the Department, regarding 

13 such Department’s and agencies’ related border 

14 metrics. 

15 (d) DEFINITION.—The terms ‘‘Joint Requirements 

16 Council’’ and ‘‘JRC’’ include any successor entity. 

Æ 


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