I 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1299 

To achieve operational control of and improve security at the international 

land borders of the United States, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 31, 2011 

Mrs. MILLER of Michigan (for herself, Mr. KING of New York, Mrs. 

BLACKBURN, Mr. FRANKS of Arizona, Mr. BURTON of Indiana, Mr. 

WALBERG, Mr. QUAYLE, Mr. ROGERS of Alabama, Mr. LONG, Mr. 

MCCAUL, Mr. WALSH of Illinois, Mr. POE of Texas, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mr. 

WESTMORELAND, Mr. DUNCAN of South Carolina, Mr. CANSECO, Mr. 

DANIEL E. LUNGREN of California, Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado, and Mrs. 

MCMORRIS RODGERS) introduced the following bill; which was referred 

to the Committee on Homeland Security 

A BILL 

To achieve operational control of and improve security at 

the international land borders of the United States, 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 ‘‘Secure Border Act of 

5 2011’’. 


rfrederick on DSKD9S0YB1PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 1299 IH

1 SEC. 2. STRATEGY TO ACHIEVE OPERATIONAL CONTROL 

2 OF THE BORDER. 

3 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 

4 (1) The border shared by the United States and 

5 Mexico, and numerous Mexican towns in close prox6 imity to that border, have experienced a dramatic 

7 surge in crime and violence to ongoing activity 

8 among rival Mexican drug cartels and criminal 

9 smuggling organizations that employ predatory tac10 tics to realize their profits. 

11 (2) In August 2005, the States of New Mexico 

12 and Arizona declared states of emergency in order to 

13 provide local law enforcement immediate assistance 

14 in addressing criminal activity along the Southwest 

15 border. 

16 (3) A recent Government Accountability Office 

17 report found that only 44 percent of the Southwest 

18 border was under operational control, and less than 

19 two percent of the Northern border is under oper20 ational control. 

21 (4) It is the obligation of the Federal Govern22 ment to adequately secure the borders of the United 

23 States and prevent the flow into the United States 

24 of undocumented persons, unlawful drugs, and other 

25 contraband. 


rfrederick on DSKD9S0YB1PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 1299 IH

1 (b) STRATEGY.—Not later than 180 days after the 

2 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Home3 land Security shall submit to the Committee on Homeland 

4 Security of the House of Representatives and the Com5 mittee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs 

6 Committee of the Senate a comprehensive strategy for 

7 gaining operational control of the international borders of 

8 the United States within five years. The strategy shall in9 clude an analysis of the following: 

10 (1) Staffing requirements for all border security 

11 functions. 

12 (2) Investment in infrastructure, including pe13 destrian fencing, vehicle barriers, and roads. 

14 (3) The use of unmanned aerial vehicles, cam15 era technology, and sensors. 

16 (4) Cooperation agreements with international, 

17 State, local, tribal, and other Federal law enforce18 ment agencies that have jurisdiction on the border. 

19 (5) Other means designed to detect, respond to, 

20 and interdict cross-border unlawful activity and to 

21 reduce the level of violence. 

22 (6) A schedule for implementing security meas23 ures, including a prioritization for future invest24 ments. 


rfrederick on DSKD9S0YB1PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 1299 IH

1 (7) Considerations of risks to border commu2 nities and law enforcement. 

3 (c) OPERATIONAL CONTROL DEFINED.—In this Act, 

4 the term ‘‘operational control’’ has the meaning given such 

5 term in section 2(b) of the Secure Fence Act of 2006 (8 

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

Æ 


rfrederick on DSKD9S0YB1PROD with BILLS