Border Patrol Enhancement Act

To increase the pay and enhance the training of United States Border Patrol agents, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Border Patrol Enhancement Act 2. Authorized staffing level for the United States Border Patrol (a) Definitions In this section: (1) Qualified research entity The term qualified research entity (2) Validated personnel requirements determination model The term validated personnel requirements determination model (b) In general The authorized personnel level for United States Border Patrol agents on the date of the enactment of this Act is 20,500. (c) United States Border Patrol personnel requirements determination model (1) Completion; notice Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commissioner shall complete a personnel requirements determination model for United States Border Patrol that builds on the 5-year United States Border Patrol staffing and deployment plan referred to on page 33 of House of Representatives Report 112–91 (May 26, 2011) and submit a notice of completion to— (A) the appropriate congressional committees; (B) the Director of the Office of Personnel Management; and (C) the Comptroller General of the United States. (2) Certification Not later than 30 days after the completion of the personnel requirements determination model described in paragraph (1), the Commissioner shall submit a copy of such model and a strategy for obtaining third-party validation of such model, to— (A) the appropriate congressional committees; (B) the Office of Personnel Management; and (C) the Comptroller General of the United States. (d) Independent study of personnel requirements determination model (1) Requirement for study Not later than 90 days after the completion of the personnel requirements determination model pursuant to subsection (c)(1), the Secretary of Homeland Security shall enter into a contract with a qualified research entity to conduct a study that analyzes the validity of the model. (2) Reports (A) To secretary Not later than 1 year after the completion of the personnel requirements determination model under subsection (c)(1), the qualified research entity shall submit a report to the Secretary of Homeland Security that includes— (i) the results of the study required under paragraph (1); and (ii) any recommendations regarding the model that the qualified research entity considers to be appropriate. (B) To congress Not later than 30 days after receiving the report described in subparagraph (A), the Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit such report, along with any additional views or recommendations regarding the personnel requirements determination model, to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives (e) Authority To adjust authorized personnel level Beginning on the date that is 180 days after receiving a report pursuant to subsection (d)(2) that validates the personnel requirements determination model, the Secretary of Homeland Security may adjust the authorized personnel level for the United States Border Patrol to a level that does not exceed the level recommended by the validated personnel requirements determination model. 3. Establishment of higher minimum rates of pay for United States Border Patrol agents (a) Higher minimum rate of pay Not later than January 1, 2023, the Director of the Office of Personnel Management— (1) shall, in accordance with section 5305 of title 5, United States Code— (A) increase the minimum rate of pay for United States Border Patrol agents at the grade GS–12 of the General Schedule by not less than 14 percent; and (B) increase other grades or levels, occupational groups, series, classes, or subdivisions thereof, as determined by the Secretary of Homeland Security; and (2) may make increases in all rates in the pay range for each such grade or level, in accordance with such section 5305. (b) Inapplicability The discretion granted to agency heads under section 5305(a)(2) of title 5, United States Code, shall not apply to increase in rates of pay authorized under subsection (a). 4. Continuing training (a) In general The Commissioner shall require all United States Border Patrol agents and other employees or contracted employees designated by the Commissioner, to participate in annual continuing training to maintain and update their understanding of— (1) Department of Homeland Security policies, procedures, and guidelines; (2) the fundamentals of law, ethics, and professional conduct; (3) applicable Federal law and regulations; (4) precedential legal rulings, including Federal Circuit Court and United States Supreme Court opinions relating to the duty of care and treatment of persons in the custody of the United States Border Patrol that the Commissioner determines are relevant to active duty agents; (5) applicable migration trends that the Commissioner determines are relevant; (6) best practices for coordinating with community stakeholders; and (7) any other information that the Commissioner determines to be relevant to active duty agents. (b) Training subjects Continuing training under this subsection shall include training regarding— (1) non-lethal use of force policies available to United States Border Patrol agents and de-escalation strategies and methods; (2) identifying, screening, and responding to vulnerable populations, such as children, persons with diminished mental capacity, victims of human trafficking, pregnant mothers, victims of gender-based violence, victims of torture or abuse, and the acutely ill; (3) trends in transnational criminal organization activities that impact border security and migration; (4) policies, strategies, and programs— (A) to protect due process, the civil, human, and privacy rights of individuals, and the private property rights of land owners; (B) to reduce the number of migrant and agent deaths; and (C) to improve the safety of agents on patrol; (5) personal resilience; (6) anti-corruption and officer ethics training; (7) current migration trends, including updated cultural and societal issues of nations that are a significant source of migrants who are— (A) arriving at a United States port of entry to seek humanitarian protection; or (B) encountered at a United States international boundary while attempting to enter without inspection; (8) the impact of border security operations on natural resources and the environment, including strategies to limit the impact of border security operations on natural resources and the environment; (9) relevant cultural, societal, racial, and religious training, including cross-cultural communication skills; (10) training authorized under the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 ( 42 U.S.C. 15601 et seq. (11) risk management and safety training that includes agency protocols for ensuring public safety, personal safety, and the safety of persons in the custody of the Department of Homeland Security; (12) non-lethal, self-defense training; and (13) any other training that meets the requirements to maintain and update the subjects identified in subsection (a). (c) Course requirements Courses offered under this section— (1) shall be administered by the United States Border Patrol, in consultation with the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center; and (2) shall be approved in advance by the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection to ensure that such courses satisfy the requirements for training under this section. (d) Assessment Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit a report to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives (e) Frequency requirements Training offered as part of continuing education under this section shall include— (1) annual courses focusing on the curriculum described in paragraphs (1) through (6) of subsection (b); and (2) biannual courses focusing on curriculum described in paragraphs (7) through (12) of subsection (b).

Summary: Border Patrol Enhancement Act This bill addresses various issues related to U.S. Border Patrol staffing. The bill establishes for the U.S. Border Patrol an authorized personnel level of 20,500 agents, which may be adjusted by the Department of Homeland Security using a validated personnel requirements determination model required by this bill. Specifically, the U.S. Border Patrol must complete a personnel requirements determination model and contract with a research entity to analyze the validity of the model. The bill also provides for higher minimum pay rates for agents. Furthermore, the U.S. Border Patrol must require agents, employees, and certain contract employees to participate in continuing education on various topics, including (1) the nonlethal use of force policies and de-escalation strategies; (2) identifying and responding to vulnerable populations, such as children and victims of human trafficking; and (3) relevant cultural, societal, racial, and religious training.