I 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2729 

To immediately resume construction of the border wall system along the 

international border between the United States and Mexico to secure 

the border, enforce the rule of law, and expend appropriated funds 

as mandated by Congress, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 21, 2021 

Mr. HIGGINS of Louisiana (for himself, Mr. KATKO, Mr. MCCAUL, Mr. ROGERS of Alabama, Mr. BUDD, Mr. VAN DREW, Mr. PFLUGER, Mr. PERRY, 

Mr. BURCHETT, Mr. STEUBE, Ms. HERRELL, Mr. ROY, Mr. HICE of 

Georgia, Mr. BIGGS, Mr. GIMENEZ, Mr. BALDERSON, Mr. GREEN of Tennessee, Mr. ROSENDALE, Mr. CAWTHORN, Mr. GRAVES of Louisiana, Mr. 

NEHLS, Mr. BABIN, Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota, Mr. BISHOP of 

North Carolina, Mr. GUEST, Mr. C. SCOTT FRANKLIN of Florida, Mrs. 

MILLER of Illinois, Mrs. HARSHBARGER, Mr. BERGMAN, Mrs. CAMMACK, 

Mr. SESSIONS, Mr. MAST, Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia, Mr. MEIJER, 

Mr. YOUNG, Mr. MCCLINTOCK, Mr. NORMAN, Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana, Mr. MOORE of Alabama, Mrs. WAGNER, Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS, 

Mr. CLYDE, Mr. JORDAN, Mr. WEBER of Texas, Mr. ALLEN, Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina, Mr. FLEISCHMANN, Mrs. BICE of Oklahoma, Mr. 

MANN, Mr. BAIRD, Mr. GARBARINO, Mr. FEENSTRA, and Mr. 

LATURNER) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security 

A BILL 

To immediately resume construction of the border wall system along the international border between the United 

States and Mexico to secure the border, enforce the 

rule of law, and expend appropriated funds as mandated 

by Congress, and for other purposes. 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
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•HR 2729 IH

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 ‘‘Finish the Wall Act’’. 

5 SEC. 2. BORDER WALL SYSTEM CONSTRUCTION. 

6 (a)(1) IMMEDIATELY RESUME BORDER WALL SYS7 TEM CONSTRUCTION.—Not later than 24 hours after the 

8 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Home9 land Security shall resume all activities related to the con10 struction of the border barrier system (also known as, and 

11 referred to in this Act as, the ‘‘border wall system’’) along 

12 the international border between the United States and 

13 Mexico that were underway or being planned for prior to 

14 January 20, 2021. 

15 (2) NO CANCELLATIONS.—The Secretary of Home16 land Security may not cancel any contract for activities 

17 related to border wall system construction referred to in 

18 paragraph (1) that was entered into on or before January 

19 20, 2021. 

20 (3) USE OF FUNDS.—The Secretary of Homeland 

21 Security shall expend all funds appropriated or explicitly 

22 obligated for border wall system construction referred to 

23 in paragraph (1) that were appropriated or obligated, as 

24 the case may be, beginning on October 1, 2016, to carry 

25 out this Act. 


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1 (4) IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR BORDER WALL

2 SYSTEM.—Not later than 30 days after the date of enact3 ment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall 

4 submit to the appropriate congressional committees an im5 plementation plan to complete, by not later than Sep6 tember 30, 2024, border wall system construction referred 

7 to in paragraph (1) and funded in accordance with para8 graph (3). 

9 (b) PLAN TO COMPLETE TACTICAL INFRASTRUC10 TURE AND TECHNOLOGY ELEMENTS OF BORDER WALL

11 SYSTEM.—Not later than 90 days after the date of the 

12 enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security 

13 shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees 

14 an implementation plan, including quarterly benchmarks 

15 and cost estimates, for satisfying all requirements of bor16 der wall system construction referred to in subsection 

17 (a)(1), including tactical infrastructure, technology, and 

18 other elements as identified by the Department of Home19 land Security prior to January 20, 2021, through the ex20 penditure of funds appropriated or explicitly obligated, as 

21 the case may be, for use beginning on October 1, 2016, 

22 as well as any future funds appropriated by Congress. 

23 (c) UPHOLD NEGOTIATED AGREEMENTS.—The Sec24 retary of Homeland Security shall ensure that all agree25 ments executed in writing between the Department of 


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1 Homeland Security and private citizens, State, local, and 

2 Tribal governments, and other stakeholders are honored 

3 by the Department relating to current and future border 

4 wall system construction as required by such agreements. 

5 SEC. 3. DNA COLLECTION CONSISTENT WITH FEDERAL 

6 LAW. 

7 Not later than 14 days after the date of the enact8 ment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall 

9 ensure and certify to the Committee on Homeland Secu10 rity of the House of Representatives and the Committee 

11 on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the 

12 Senate that U.S. Customs and Border Protection is fully 

13 compliant with the DNA Fingerprint Act of 2005 at all 

14 border facilities that process adults, including as part of 

15 a family unit, in the custody of U.S. Customs and Border 

16 Protection at the border. 

17 SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS. 

18 In this Act: 

19 (1) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMIT20 TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com21 mittees’’ means the Committee on Homeland Secu22 rity and the Committee on Appropriations of the 

23 House of Representatives and the Committee on 

24 Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and 

25 the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate. 


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1 (2) TACTICAL INFRASTRUCTURE.—The term 

2 ‘‘tactical infrastructure’’ includes boat ramps, access 

3 gates, checkpoints, lighting, and roads associated 

4 with a border wall system. 

5 (3) TECHNOLOGY.—The term ‘‘technology’’ in6 cludes border surveillance and detection technology, 

7 including linear ground detection systems, associated 

8 with a border wall system. 

Æ 


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