I 
112TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 77 
To provide for emergency deployments of United States Border Patrol agents 
and to increase the number of DEA and ATF agents along the inter-
national border of the United States to increase resources to identify 
and eliminate illicit sources of firearms into Mexico for use by violent 
drug trafficking organizations and for other lawful activities, and for 
other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 5, 2011 
Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas introduced the following bill; which was referred 
to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Com-
mittee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by 
the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall with-
in the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To provide for emergency deployments of United States Bor-
der Patrol agents and to increase the number of DEA 
and ATF agents along the international border of the 
United States to increase resources to identify and elimi-
nate illicit sources of firearms into Mexico for use by 
violent drug trafficking organizations and for other law-
ful activities, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Border Security, Cooperation, and Act Now Drug War 
Prevention Act of 2011’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2. Findings. 
TITLE I—GENERAL PROVISIONS 
Sec. 101. Emergency deployment of United States Border Patrol agents. 
Sec. 102. Emergency deployment of DEA agents. 
Sec. 103. Emergency deployment of ATF agents. 
Sec. 104. Elimination of fixed deployment of United States Border Patrol 
agents. 
Sec. 105. Helicopters and power boats. 
Sec. 106. Control of United State Border Patrol assets. 
Sec. 107. Motor vehicles. 
Sec. 108. Portable computers. 
Sec. 109. Radio communications. 
Sec. 110. Hand-held global positioning system devices. 
Sec. 111. Night vision equipment. 
Sec. 112. Border armor. 
Sec. 113. Weapons. 
Sec. 114. Uniforms. 
Sec. 115. Task force. 
TITLE II—BORDER RELIEF 
Sec. 201. Border relief grant program. 
Sec. 202. Authorization of appropriations. 
Sec. 203. Enforcement of Federal immigration law. 
Sec. 204. Regulations. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) In 2008, the violence between Mexican drug 
gangs fighting for trafficking routes to the United 
States killed approximately 6,000 people in Mexico, 
including more than 500 police officers and soldiers. 
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(2) In the first eight weeks of 2009, more than 
1,000 people were killed as a result of the drug war. 
(3) In March 2009, Mexico sent an additional 
3,200 soldiers to the border, increasing the total 
number of Mexican solders combating drug cartels 
to more than 45,000. 
(4) Over 200 United States citizens have been 
killed in the drug war, either because they were in-
volved in the cartels or were innocent bystanders. 
(5) The drug trade in Mexico include mari-
juana, 
heroin, 
cocaine, 
and 
methamphetamine 
(meth). 
(6) Mexico is the conduit for most of the co-
caine—approximately 90 percent—in the United 
States, the source for much of the heroin consumed 
in this country, and the largest foreign supplier of 
marijuana and meth to other markets. 
(7) Estimates indicate a vast majority of the 
cocaine available in the United States market is 
smuggled by Mexican cartels across the United 
States-Mexico border. 
(8) Cartels are becoming increasingly involved 
in the trafficking of meth because of the large profit 
margins they obtain from controlling the drug from 
manufacture to distribution. 
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(9) The drug cartels have criminal earnings in 
excess of $25 billion per year and physically send 
more than $10 billion a year in bulk cash back into 
Mexico from the United States. 
(10) According to the 2009 National Drug 
Threat Assessment, Mexican drug trafficking organi-
zations are the greatest drug trafficking threat to 
the United States. 
(11) Mexico’s cartels have existed for some 
time, but have become increasingly powerful in re-
cent years with the demise of once powerful cartels 
in Colombia and the closure of trafficking routes 
through Florida. 
(12) The Colombian cartels still play a role in 
the United States drug trade. 
(13) The Drug Enforcement Administration 
(DEA) maintains that the Mexican cartels now com-
mand and control the drug trade and show the hall-
marks of organized crime, such as organizing into 
distinct cells with subordinate cells, including gangs, 
which operate throughout the United States. 
(14) Mexican cartels control drug distribution 
in most United States cities, and they are gaining 
strength in markets that they do not yet control. 
The 2009 National Drug Threat Assessment indi-
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cates that Mexican cartels maintain drug distribu-
tion networks or supply drugs to distributors in at 
least 230 United States cities, including in Alaska 
and Hawaii. 
(15) The Federal Government provides States 
and local governments with assistance in covering 
the costs related to the fight against the drug cartels 
and the prosecution of such drug cases, local law en-
forcement along the border is in need of assistance 
in covering expenses. Local law enforcement uses its 
limited resources to combat drug trafficking, human 
smuggling, kidnappings, the destruction of private 
property, and other border security related crimes. 
The United States shares 1,989 miles along its bor-
der with Mexico. Federal assistance is required to 
help local law enforcement. 
TITLE I—GENERAL PROVISIONS 
SEC. 101. EMERGENCY DEPLOYMENT OF UNITED STATES 
BORDER PATROL AGENTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—If the Governor of a State on an 
international border of the United States declares an 
international border security emergency, including actions 
involving Mexican drug gangs fighting for trafficking 
routes involved in violent drug wars, and requests addi-
tional United States Border Patrol agents from the Sec-
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retary of Homeland Security, the Secretary is authorized, 
subject to subsections (b) and (c), to provide the State 
with up to 500 additional United States Border Patrol 
agents for the purpose of patrolling and defending the 
international border in order to prevent individuals from 
crossing the international border and entering the United 
States at any location other than an authorized port of 
entry. 
(b) CONSULTATION.—The Secretary of Homeland 
Security shall consult with the President upon receipt of 
a request under subsection (a), and shall grant such re-
quest to the extent that providing the requested assistance 
will not significantly impair the Department of Homeland 
Security’s ability to provide border security for any other 
State. 
(c) COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.—Emergency deploy-
ments under this section shall be made in accordance with 
all collective bargaining agreements and obligations. 
SEC. 102. EMERGENCY DEPLOYMENT OF DEA AGENTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—If the Governor of a State on an 
international border of the United States declares an 
international border security emergency and requests ad-
ditional Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents 
from the Attorney General, the Attorney General is au-
thorized, subject to subsections (b) and (c), to provide the 
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State with up to 500 additional DEA agents for the pur-
pose of combating the inflow of drugs along trafficking 
routes to the United States. 
(b) CONSULTATION.—The Attorney General shall 
consult with the President upon receipt of a request under 
subsection (a), and shall grant such request to the extent 
that providing the requested assistance will not signifi-
cantly impair the Attorney General’s ability to provide 
DEA agents for any other State. 
(c) COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.—Emergency deploy-
ments under this section shall be made in accordance with 
all collective bargaining agreements and obligations. 
SEC. 103. EMERGENCY DEPLOYMENT OF ATF AGENTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—If the Governor of a State on an 
international border of the United States declares an 
international border security emergency and requests ad-
ditional Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explo-
sives (ATF) agents from the Attorney General, the Attor-
ney General is authorized, subject to subsections (b) and 
(c), to provide the State with up to 500 additional ATF 
agents for the purpose of combating the inflow of fire-
arms, explosives, alcohol, and tobacco along smuggling 
routes to the United States. 
(b) CONSULTATION.—The Attorney General shall 
consult with the President upon receipt of a request under 
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subsection (a), and shall grant such request to the extent 
that providing the requested assistance will not signifi-
cantly impair the Attorney General’s ability to provide 
ATF agents for any other State. 
(c) COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.—Emergency deploy-
ments under this section shall be made in accordance with 
all collective bargaining agreements and obligations. 
SEC. 104. ELIMINATION OF FIXED DEPLOYMENT OF UNITED 
STATES BORDER PATROL AGENTS. 
The Secretary of Homeland Security shall ensure 
that no United States Border Patrol agent is precluded 
from performing patrol duties and apprehending violators 
of law, except in unusual circumstances where the tem-
porary use of fixed deployment positions is necessary. 
SEC. 105. HELICOPTERS AND POWER BOATS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Homeland Secu-
rity shall increase by not fewer than 100 the number of 
United States Border Patrol helicopters, and shall in-
crease by not fewer than 250 the number of United States 
Border Patrol power boats. The Secretary of Homeland 
Security shall ensure that appropriate types of helicopters 
are procured for the various missions being performed. 
The Secretary of Homeland Security also shall ensure that 
the types of power boats that are procured are appropriate 
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which is within 25 miles of the southern border of 
the United States (including tribal police depart-
ments serving a community any part of which is 
within 25 miles of such border). 
(b) USE OF FUNDS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Grant funds received under 
subsection (a) may be used for the following activi-
ties: 
(A) To conduct law enforcement operations 
to enforce criminal laws, prevent and punish 
criminal activity, and protect the lives, prop-
erty, and security of the people within the juris-
diction of the grant recipient. 
(B) To transfer to appropriate Federal law 
enforcement officials aliens unlawfully present 
in the United States who detained or in the 
custody of the grant recipient. 
(C) To enforce State and Federal laws re-
lating to securing the border and enforce other 
State and Federal criminal laws. 
(2) PAYMENT OF COSTS.—Use of funds under 
paragraph (1) shall include payment for costs of— 
(A) hiring, equipping, training, and other-
wise controlling the operations and deployment 
of law enforcement officials engaged in duties 
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