I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7944 
To require the Secretary of Homeland Security to assess technology needs 
along the Southern border and develop a strategy for bridging such gaps. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
AUGUST 4, 2020 
Ms. TORRES SMALL of New Mexico (for herself, Mr. MCCAUL, Ms. SLOTKIN, 
and Mr. CLOUD) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Homeland Security 
A BILL 
To require the Secretary of Homeland Security to assess 
technology needs along the Southern border and develop 
a strategy for bridging such gaps. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Southwest Border Se-
curity Technology Improvement Act of 2020’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
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(1) APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMIT-
TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com-
mittees’’ means— 
(A) the Committee on Homeland Security 
and Governmental Affairs of the Senate; and 
(B) the Committee on Homeland Security 
of the House of Representatives. 
(2) DEPARTMENT.—The term ‘‘Department’’ 
means the Department of Homeland Security. 
(3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Homeland Security. 
(4) SOUTHWEST BORDER.—The term ‘‘South-
west border’’ means the international land border 
between the United States and Mexico, including the 
ports of entry along such border. 
SEC. 3. SOUTHERN BORDER TECHNOLOGY NEEDS ANAL-
YSIS AND UPDATES. 
(a) TECHNOLOGY NEEDS ANALYSIS.—Not later than 
1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary shall submit, to the appropriate congressional 
committees, a technology needs analysis for border secu-
rity technology along the Southwest border. 
(b) CONTENTS.—The analysis required under sub-
section (a) shall include an assessment of— 
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(1) the technology needs and gaps along the 
Southwest border— 
(A) to prevent terrorists and instruments 
of terror from entering the United States; 
(B) to combat and reduce cross-border 
criminal activity, including, but not limited to— 
(i) the transport of illegal goods, such 
as illicit drugs; and 
(ii) human smuggling and human 
trafficking; and 
(C) to facilitate the flow of legal trade 
across the Southwest border; 
(2) recent technological advancements in— 
(A) manned aircraft sensor, communica-
tion, and common operating picture technology; 
(B) unmanned aerial systems and related 
technology, including counter-unmanned aerial 
system technology; 
(C) surveillance technology, including— 
(i) mobile surveillance vehicles; 
(ii) associated electronics, including 
cameras, sensor technology, and radar; 
(iii) tower-based surveillance tech-
nology; 
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(iv) advanced unattended surveillance 
sensors; and 
(v) 
deployable, 
lighter-than-air, 
ground surveillance equipment; 
(D) nonintrusive inspection technology, in-
cluding non-X-ray devices utilizing muon to-
mography and other advanced detection tech-
nology; 
(E) tunnel detection technology; and 
(F) communications equipment, includ-
ing— 
(i) radios; 
(ii) long-term evolution broadband; 
and 
(iii) miniature satellites; 
(3) any other technological advancements that 
the Secretary determines to be critical to the De-
partment’s mission along the Southwest border; 
(4) whether the use of the technological ad-
vances described in paragraphs (2) and (3) will— 
(A) improve border security; 
(B) improve the capability of the Depart-
ment to accomplish its mission along the South-
west border; 
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(C) reduce technology gaps along the 
Southwest border; and 
(D) enhance the safety of any officer or 
agent of the Department or any other Federal 
agency; 
(5) the Department’s ongoing border security 
technology development efforts, including efforts 
by— 
(A) U.S. Customs and Border Protection; 
(B) the Science and Technology Direc-
torate; and 
(C) the technology assessment office of any 
other operational component; 
(6) the technology needs for improving border 
security, such as— 
(A) information technology or other com-
puter or computing systems data capture; 
(B) biometrics; 
(C) cloud storage; and 
(D) intelligence data sharing capabilities 
among agencies within the Department; 
(7) any other technological needs or factors, in-
cluding border security infrastructure, such as phys-
ical barriers or dual-purpose infrastructure, that the 
Secretary determines should be considered; and 
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(8) currently deployed technology or new tech-
nology that would improve the Department’s abil-
ity— 
(A) to reasonably achieve operational con-
trol and situational awareness along the South-
west border; and 
(B) to collect metrics for securing the bor-
der at and between ports of entry, as required 
under subsections (b) and (c) of section 1092 of 
division A of the National Defense Authoriza-
tion Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (6 U.S.C. 223). 
(c) UPDATES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years after 
the submission of the analysis required under sub-
section (a), and biannually thereafter for the fol-
lowing 4 years, the Secretary shall submit an update 
to such analysis to the appropriate congressional 
committees. 
(2) CONTENTS.—Each update required under 
paragraph (1) shall include a plan for utilizing the 
resources of the Department to meet the border se-
curity technology needs and gaps identified pursuant 
to subsection (b), including developing or acquiring 
technologies not currently in use by the Department 
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that would allow the Department to bridge existing 
border technology gaps along the Southwest border. 
(d) ITEMS TO BE CONSIDERED.—In compiling the 
technology needs analysis and updates required under this 
section, the Secretary shall consider and examine— 
(1) technology that is deployed and is sufficient 
for the Department’s use along the Southwest bor-
der; 
(2) technology that is deployed, but is insuffi-
cient for the Department’s use along the Southwest 
border; 
(3) technology that is not deployed, but is nec-
essary for the Department’s use along the Southwest 
border; 
(4) current formal departmental requirements 
documentation examining current border security 
threats and challenges faced by any component of 
the Department; 
(5) trends and forecasts regarding migration 
across the Southwest border; 
(6) the impact on projected staffing and deploy-
ment needs for the Department, including staffing 
needs that may be fulfilled through the use of tech-
nology; 
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(7) the needs and challenges faced by employees 
of the Department who are deployed along the 
Southwest border; 
(8) the need to improve cooperation among 
Federal, State, Tribal, local, and Mexican law en-
forcement entities to enhance security along the 
Southwest border; 
(9) the privacy implications of existing tech-
nology and the acquisition and deployment of new 
technologies and supporting infrastructure, with an 
emphasis on how privacy risks might be mitigated 
through the use of technology, training, and policy; 
(10) the impact of any ongoing public health 
emergency that impacts Department operations 
along the Southwest border; and 
(11) the ability of, and the needs for, the De-
partment to assist with search and rescue efforts for 
individuals or groups that may be in physical danger 
or in need of medical assistance. 
(e) CLASSIFIED FORM.—To the extent possible, the 
Secretary shall submit the technology needs analysis and 
updates required under this section in unclassified form, 
but may submit such documents, or portions of such docu-
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ments, in classified form if the Secretary determines that 
such action is appropriate. 
Æ 
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