I 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 583 

To enhance the safety of ports of entry in the United States, and for 

other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 6, 2013 

Mr. VELA (for himself, Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi, Mr. CUELLAR, Mr. 

HINOJOSA, Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas, Ms. JACKSON LEE, Ms. EDDIE

BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. DOGGETT, Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD, Mr. GALLEGO, Mr. MICHAUD, Mr. O’ROURKE, Mr. PASTOR

of Arizona, and Mr. VARGAS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the 

Committees on Ways and Means, Agriculture, and Transportation and 

Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To enhance the safety of ports of entry in 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 ‘‘Putting Our Resources 

5 Toward Security (PORTS) Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. INCREASE IN NUMBER OF CUSTOMS AND BORDER 

2 PROTECTION OFFICERS. 

3 (a) CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION OFFI4 CERS.—During the five-year period between fiscal years 

5 2014 and 2018, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall, 

6 subject to the availability of appropriations for such pur7 pose, increase by not fewer than 5,000 the total number 

8 of full-time, active-duty Customs and Border Protection 

9 Officers within United States Customs and Border Protec10 tion for posting at United States ports of entry above the 

11 number of such officers for which funds were made avail12 able during fiscal year 2012. 

13 (b) AGRICULTURE SPECIALISTS.—During the five14 year period between fiscal years 2014 and 2018, the Sec15 retary of Homeland Security shall, subject to the avail16 ability of appropriations for purpose, increase by not fewer 

17 than 1,200 the number of full-time, active-duty Customs 

18 and Border Protection agriculture specialists for posting 

19 at United States ports of entry above the number of such 

20 support personnel for which funds were made available 

21 during fiscal year 2012. 

22 (c) BORDER SECURITY SUPPORT PERSONNEL.— 

23 During the five-year period between fiscal years 2014 and 

24 2018, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall, subject 

25 to the availability of appropriations for such purpose, in26 crease by not fewer than 350 the number of full-time, acVerDate Mar 15 2010 00:12 Feb 16, 2013 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H583.IH H583

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•HR 583 IH

1 tive-duty border security support personnel for posting at 

2 United States ports of entry above the number of such 

3 support personnel for which funds were made available 

4 during fiscal year 2012. 

5 SEC. 3. IMPROVING PORTS OF ENTRY FOR BORDER SECU6 RITY AND OTHER PURPOSES. 

7 (a) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appro8 priated to the Administrator of the General Services Ad9 ministration $1,000,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2014 

10 through 2018 to make improvements to existing ports of 

11 entry in the United States to improve border security and 

12 for other purposes. 

13 (b) PRIORITY.—In making improvements described 

14 in subsection (a), the Administrator of the General Serv15 ices Administration, in coordination with the Secretary of 

16 Homeland Security, shall give priority to the ports of entry 

17 that the Administrator determines are in most need of re18 pair to improve border security and for other purposes in 

19 accordance with port of entry infrastructure assessment 

20 studies required in section 603 of title VI, division E, of 

21 the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2008 (Public Law 

22 110–161). 

Æ 


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