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[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2315 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

113th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2315

 To expand the Global Entry Program and strengthen the Model Ports of 
                 Entry Program, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 8, 2014

  Mr. Schatz (for himself, Mr. Scott, and Mr. Begich) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
               Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
 To expand the Global Entry Program and strengthen the Model Ports of 
                 Entry Program, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Improving the Nation's Visitors' 
International Travel Experience Act of 2014'' or the ``INVITE Act of 
2014''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSES.

    The purposes of this Act are--
            (1) to create a welcoming experience at United States ports 
        of entry;
            (2) to encourage international travelers to visit the 
        United States; and
            (3) to support jobs and economic prosperity for the Nation.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
        ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
                    (A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
                Transportation of the Senate;
                    (B) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
                Senate;
                    (C) the Committee on Homeland Security and 
                Governmental Affairs of the Senate;
                    (D) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;
                    (E) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the 
                House of Representatives;
                    (F) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House 
                of Representatives;
                    (G) the Committee on Homeland Security of the House 
                of Representatives; and
                    (H) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
                Representatives.
            (2) Commissioner.--The term ``Commissioner'' means the 
        Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
            (3) Global entry program.--The term ``Global Entry 
        Program'' means the program described in section 235.12 of 
        title 8, Code of Federal Regulations.
            (4) Model ports of entry program.--The term ``Model Ports 
        of Entry Program'' means the program established by the 
        Secretary of Homeland Security under section 725 of the 
        Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 
        (8 U.S.C. 1752a).

SEC. 4. GLOBAL ENTRY PROGRAM EXPANSION.

    (a) Coordination.--The Secretary of State and the Secretary of 
Homeland Security shall explore the feasibility of--
            (1)(A) coordinating the enrollment and interview processes 
        for individuals who--
                    (i) are nationals of countries with which the 
                United States has a reciprocal trusted traveler program 
                agreement; and
                    (ii) simultaneously apply for a United States visa 
                and enroll in the Global Entry Program; and
            (B) collecting a single application fee from such 
        applicants; and
            (2) coordinating the passport application and Global Entry 
        Program enrollment processes for eligible United States 
        citizens.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 6 months after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State and the Secretary of 
Homeland Security shall jointly submit, to the appropriate 
congressional committees, a report that describes--
            (1) the status of bilateral negotiations to expand 
        reciprocal trusted traveler programs such as the Global Entry 
        Program;
            (2) barriers to the expansion of the Global Entry Program;
            (3) the number of United States citizens and nationals of 
        other countries who are enrolled in the Global Entry Program, 
        the NEXUS Program, or the SENTRI Program;
            (4) the feasibility of coordinating Global Entry Program 
        enrollment with the visa and passport application processes;
            (5) if the Secretaries determine that such coordination is 
        infeasible, the specific reasons for such determination; and
            (6) the resources needed and the next steps that the 
        Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security 
        would need to take to implement the coordinated Global Entry 
        and visa and passport application process described in 
        subsection (a).

SEC. 5. STRENGTHENING THE MODEL PORTS OF ENTRY PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Section 725 of the Implementing Recommendations of 
the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 (8 U.S.C. 1752a) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``and'' at the 
                end;
                    (B) in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the 
                end and inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(3) modify the program, to the extent determined to be 
        necessary by the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border 
        Protection, including by expanding the program beyond the 20 
        airports at which the program was initially implemented.'';
            (2) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (e); and
            (3) by inserting after subsection (b) the following:
    ``(c) Program Metrics.--
            ``(1) Development.--To ensure the effectiveness of the 
        Model Ports of Entry Program (referred to in this subsection as 
        the `program'), the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border 
        Protection shall develop metrics to measure the performance of 
        the program, including metrics to measure customer satisfaction 
        among passengers using the ports of entry at the Model Ports of 
        Entry airports.
            ``(2) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the 
        enactment of the INVITE Act of 2014, the Commissioner of U.S. 
        Customs and Border Protection shall submit a report to the 
        appropriate congressional committees that includes--
                    ``(A) a list of the program airports;
                    ``(B) an explanation of how the program has been 
                implemented at each program airport;
                    ``(C) an analysis of the program's performance 
                against the metrics established under paragraph (1) to 
                measure customer satisfaction;
                    ``(D) recommendations for improving public-private 
                collaboration between U.S. Customs and Border 
                Protection, airports, and other industry stakeholders 
                to improve the user experience at United States ports 
                of entry; and
                    ``(E) recommendations on whether the program should 
                be expanded to more airports.
    ``(d) Model Ports of Entry Grant Program.--
            ``(1) Establishment.--Not later than 1 year after the date 
        of the enactment of the INVITE Act of 2014, the Secretary of 
        Homeland Security shall establish the Model Ports of Entry 
        Grant Program to award, on a competitive basis, up to 10 grants 
        of an amount deemed appropriate by the Commissioner to airports 
        designated by the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border 
        Protection to establish public-private sector collaboration to 
        improve the international arrival process at United States 
        airports.
            ``(2) Source of funding.--The funding for the grant program 
        established under this subsection shall come from the operating 
        budget of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
            ``(3) Matching grant.--The Secretary may not make a grant 
        to an airport under this subsection unless the airport agrees 
        to match the grant funding with an equal amount of non-Federal 
        funds.
            ``(4) Use of funds.--Grants received under the subsection--
                    ``(A) shall be used to improve the grantee's 
                international passenger processing facility in 
                accordance with the objectives of the Model Ports of 
                Entry Program through activities such as--
                            ``(i) the installation of informational 
                        television monitors;
                            ``(ii) improvements to queue management; 
                        and
                            ``(iii) the use of technology that will 
                        improve the entry process;
                    ``(B) shall be used to provide a more efficient and 
                welcoming international arrival process to facilitate 
                and promote business and tourist travel to the United 
                States; and
                    ``(C) may not be used to replace funding for 
                airport improvement projects paid for with--
                            ``(i) passenger facility charges authorized 
                        under section 40117 of title 49, United States 
                        Code; or
                            ``(ii) grants received through the Airport 
                        Improvement Program under subchapter I of 
                        chapter 471 of such title 49.
            ``(5) Working groups.--
                    ``(A) Establishment.--Grantees shall establish 
                public-private partnership working groups with U.S. 
                Customs and Border Protection.
                    ``(B) Other members.--Working groups established 
                under this paragraph may include representatives of the 
                travel and tourism industry, including--
                            ``(i) the air passenger sector;
                            ``(ii) the hotel sector;
                            ``(iii) the theme park sector;
                            ``(iv) the rental car sector
                            ``(v) the tour operator sector;
                            ``(vi) the travel distribution sector;
                            ``(vii) the retail sector;
                            ``(viii) the State tourism authority;
                            ``(ix) the local convention and visitors 
                        authority;
                            ``(x) local cultural interest groups; and
                            ``(xi) the event management sector.
                    ``(C) Collaboration.--The working groups 
                established under this paragraph shall--
                            ``(i) support ongoing collaborative efforts 
                        to share best practices for improving the 
                        international arrivals process; and
                            ``(ii) provide recommendations for overall 
                        facility design enhancements and the 
                        integration of public and cultural art into 
                        port of entry facilities at United States 
                        airports.
                    ``(D) Federal advisory committee act.--The 
                provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 
                U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to working groups 
                established under this paragraph.
            ``(6) Administration and selection criteria.--The 
        Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection shall--
                    ``(A) administer the Model Ports of Entry Grant 
                Program; and
                    ``(B) establish the criteria for selecting 
                grantees.
            ``(7) Metrics.--The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border 
        Protection shall establish metrics to determine the 
        effectiveness of the Model Ports of Entry Grant Program.''.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Commissioner shall submit a report to the appropriate 
congressional committees that includes--
            (1) a description of the status of the Model Ports of Entry 
        Grant Program;
            (2) a description of the metrics U.S. Customs and Border 
        Protection will use to measure the effectiveness of the Model 
        Ports of Entry Grant Program;
            (3) an analysis comparing the results of the Model Ports of 
        Entry Grant Program with the metrics established pursuant to 
        section 725(d)(6) of the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/
        11 Commission Act of 2007, as added by subsection (a)(3);
            (4) recommendations on whether the Model Ports of Entry 
        Grant Program should be made available on a competitive basis 
        to additional airports; and
            (5) a description of the improvements the Commissioner 
        intends to make to the Model Ports of Entry Grant Program.

SEC. 6. U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION WAIT TIME METRICS.

    (a) Annual Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Commissioner shall 
submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees that--
            (1) includes data on average passenger wait times and peak 
        wait times for each month at each port of entry;
            (2) provides an analysis of the performance of U.S. Customs 
        and Border Protection against the metrics developed pursuant to 
        section 571(a) of the Department of Homeland Security 
        Appropriations Act, 2014 (division F of Public Law 113-76); and
            (3) provides an update on the development and 
        implementation of operational work plans that support the goal 
        of reducing passenger processing times at air, land, and sea 
        ports of entry in accordance with section 571(b) of such Act.
    (b) Public Dissemination of Wait Times.--The Commissioner shall--
            (1) prominently post the latest information on wait times 
        for processing arriving international passengers at United 
        States airports and land ports of entry on the U.S. Customs and 
        Border Protection website so that such information is easily 
        accessible to website visitors; and
            (2) continuously update the information described in 
        paragraph (1) during the hours in which the air and land ports 
        are open and receiving customers.

SEC. 7. REPORT ON EFFORTS TO LEVERAGE TECHNOLOGY IN THE INTERNATIONAL 
              ARRIVALS PROCESS.

    Not later than 1 year after date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Commissioner shall submit a report to Congress that--
            (1) describes efforts to develop new technologies and 
        procedures to improve the passenger screening process at United 
        States ports of entry;
            (2) lists the Department of Homeland Security components 
        for which each technology is being developed; and
            (3) identifies methods for more effectively processing 
        inbound international travelers to the United States while 
        strengthening security.

SEC. 8. INCREASING THE TRANSPARENCY OF DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY 
              CUSTOMER SERVICE ENHANCEMENTS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall collect 
and analyze traveler feedback--
            (1) to develop customer service best practices across all 
        relevant component agencies;
            (2) to ensure a welcoming environment; and
            (3) to improve the image of the United States around the 
        world.
    (b) Use of Traveler Feedback.--The Secretary of Homeland Security 
shall--
            (1) coordinate the collection of all traveler feedback 
        across all relevant component agencies to improve the 
        transparency of customer service enhancements;
            (2) publicly report the feedback described in paragraph (1) 
        on a quarterly basis; and
            (3) analyze and utilize such feedback to develop customer 
        service best practices throughout the Department of Homeland 
        Security, which shall include cultural sensitivity and 
        diversity training.
    (c) Monthly Report.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall 
report all U.S. Customs and Border Protection traveler feedback to the 
Department of Transportation for publication in its monthly Air Travel 
Consumer Report.
    (d) INFO Center Staffing.--The Commissioner shall ensure that the 
U.S. Customs and Border Protection INFO Center is adequately staffed in 
order to limit caller wait times to shorter than 10 minutes.
                                 <all>
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