IC 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 2107 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 28, 2019 

Referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the 

Committee on Agriculture, 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 

AN ACT 

To increase the number of CBP Agriculture Specialists and 

support staff in the Office of Field Operations of U.S. 

Customs and Border Protection, 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 ‘‘Protecting America’s 

3 Food and Agriculture Act of 2019’’. 

4 SEC. 2. FINDING. 

5 Congress finds that— 

6 (1) it is in the national security interest of the 

7 United States to ensure that the Nation’s food sup8 ply is sufficiently protected; and 

9 (2) a vital part of such protection is the avail10 ability of adequate resources at the border to con11 duct inspections of incoming food and agricultural 

12 goods. 

13 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 

14 In this Act: 

15 (1) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMIT16 TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com17 mittees’’ means— 

18 (A) the Committee on Homeland Security 

19 and Governmental Affairs of the Senate; 

20 (B) the Committee on Agriculture, Nutri21 tion, and Forestry of the Senate; 

22 (C) the Committee on Homeland Security 

23 of the House of Representatives; and 

24 (D) the Committee on Agriculture of the 

25 House of Representatives. 


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1 (2) CBP.—The term ‘‘CBP’’ means U.S. Cus2 toms and Border Protection. 

3 SEC. 4. ADDITIONAL U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTEC4 TION PERSONNEL. 

5 (a) CBP AGRICULTURE SPECIALISTS.—The Commis6 sioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection may hire, 

7 train, and assign 240 new CBP Agriculture Specialists 

8 above the current attrition level during every fiscal year 

9 until the total number of CBP Agriculture Specialists 

10 equals and sustains the requirements identified each year 

11 in the Agriculture Resource Allocation Model. 

12 (b) MISSION AND OPERATIONAL SUPPORT STAFF.— 

13 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Commissioner of U.S. 

14 Customs and Border Protection may hire, train, and 

15 assign support staff to support CBP Agriculture 

16 Specialists. 

17 (2) CBP AGRICULTURE TECHNICIANS.—The 

18 Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protec19 tion may hire, train, and assign 200 new CBP Agri20 culture Technicians during each fiscal year until the 

21 total number of CBP Agriculture Technicians equals 

22 and sustains the requirements identified each year in 

23 the Mission and Operational Support Resource Allo24 cation Model. 


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1 (c) CBP AGRICULTURE CANINE TEAMS.—The Com2 missioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection may 

3 hire, train, and assign 20 new CBP agriculture canine 

4 teams during each of the first 3 fiscal years beginning 

5 after the date of the enactment of this Act. 

6 (d) TRAFFIC FORECASTS.—In calculating the num7 ber of CBP Agriculture Specialists needed at each port 

8 of entry through the Agriculture Resource Allocation 

9 Model, the Office of Field Operations shall— 

10 (1) rely on data collected regarding the inspec11 tions and other activities conducted at each such 

12 port of entry; and 

13 (2) consider volume from seasonal surges, other 

14 projected changes in commercial and passenger vol15 umes, the most current commercial forecasts, and 

16 other relevant information. 

17 (e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 

18 (1) CBP AGRICULTURE SPECIALISTS.—There is 

19 authorized to be appropriated to carry out sub20 section (a)— 

21 (A) $29,900,000 for fiscal year 2020; 

22 (B) $36,100,000 for fiscal year 2021; and 

23 (C) $40,500,000 for fiscal year 2022. 


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1 (2) CBP AGRICULTURE TECHNICIANS.—There 

2 is authorized to be appropriated to carry out sub3 section (b)— 

4 (A) $11,000,000 for fiscal year 2020; 

5 (B) $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2021; and 

6 (C) $38,000,000 for fiscal year 2022. 

7 (3) CBP AGRICULTURE CANINE TEAMS.—There 

8 is authorized to be appropriated to carry out sub9 section (c)— 

10 (A) $3,500,000 for fiscal year 2020; 

11 (B) $7,400,000 for fiscal year 2021; and 

12 (C) $12,200,000 for fiscal year 2022. 

13 (4) TRAINING.—There is authorized to be ap14 propriated for training costs associated with the new 

15 CBP personnel and canine teams hired pursuant to 

16 subsections (a), (b), and (c) $6,000,000 for each of 

17 the fiscal years 2020, 2021, and 2022. 

18 SEC. 5. GAO STUDY, BRIEFING, AND REPORT. 

19 (a) STUDY.—The Comptroller General of the United 

20 States, after consultation with the appropriate congres21 sional committees, shall conduct a review of the efforts 

22 of the Department of Homeland Security, the Department 

23 of Agriculture, and other Federal agencies to address risks 

24 to the agricultural supply that analyzes— 


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1 (1) interagency coordination and the distribu2 tion of responsibilities among Federal agencies with 

3 respect to the inspection of agricultural commodities 

4 entering the United States; 

5 (2) the effectiveness of such inspection respon6 sibilities among Federal agencies; and 

7 (3) the training provided to, and working condi8 tions of, CBP Agriculture Specialists. 

9 (b) BRIEFING.—Not later than 1 year after the date 

10 of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall 

11 brief the appropriate congressional committees regarding 

12 the results of the study conducted pursuant to subsection 

13 (a). 

14 (c) REPORT.—Not later than 90 days after the brief15 ing required under subsection (b), the Comptroller Gen16 eral shall complete the study required under subsection (a) 

17 and make the results of the study available to the public. 

Passed the Senate October 24, 2019. 

Attest: JULIE E. ADAMS, 

Secretary. 


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