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 ‘‘U.S. Customs and Bor-
der Protection Rural and Remote Hiring and Retention 
Strategy Act of 2019’’. 
SEC. 2. STRATEGY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland 
Security, acting through the Chief Human Capital Officer 
of the Department of Homeland Security and the Commis-
sioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, shall issue 
a strategy and implementation plan, including bench-
marks, to improve the hiring and retention of individuals 
by the Commissioner in rural or remote areas relating to 
employment in such areas. 
(b) CONSIDERATIONS.—The strategy required under 
subsection (a) shall take into consideration the following: 
(1) Feedback from individuals who are U.S. Cus-
toms and Border Protection candidates or new hires 
at locations in rural or remote areas, including feed-
back on the quality of life in such areas for new hires 
and their families. 
(2) Feedback from U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection personnel, other than new hires, who are 
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stationed at locations in rural or remote areas, in-
cluding feedback on the quality of life in such areas 
for such personnel and their families. 
(3) Feedback from U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection personnel who have decided to separate 
from the agency. 
(4) An assessment of existing Federal programs, 
including financial incentives and other compensa-
tion-based flexibilities, regarding how to most effec-
tively aid spouses and families of individuals who are 
candidates or new hires in a rural or remote area. 
(5) An assessment of Department of Homeland 
Security internship programs and the usefulness of 
such programs in improving hiring by the Secretary 
of Homeland Security in rural or remote areas. 
(c) PLAN.—The implementation plan required under 
subsection (a) shall— 
(1) include a pilot or other program, as appro-
priate, to address hiring and retention challenges 
faced by U.S. Customs and Border Protection in 
rural or remote areas; and 
(2) enhance strategic recruiting efforts of U.S. 
Customs and Border Protection through relationships 
with institutions of higher education (as such term is 
defined in section 102 of the Higher Education Act 
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of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002)), veterans transition and 
employment centers, and job placement programs in 
regions that could assist in filling positions in rural 
or remote areas. 
(d) REPORT TO CONGRESS AND GAO.—Beginning on 
the date that is one year after the date of issuance of the 
strategy and implementation plan required under sub-
section (a) and for four years thereafter, the Secretary of 
Homeland Security shall report to the Committee on Home-
land Security of the House of Representatives, the Com-
mittee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of 
the Senate, and the Comptroller General of the United 
States on the extent to which such strategy and implementa-
tion plan has improved the hiring and retention by U.S. 
Customs and Border Protection of employees in rural or 
remote areas. 
(e) GAO ASSESSMENT.—Not later than 120 days after 
receiving each report required under subsection (d), the 
Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to 
the committees referred to in such subsection an assessment 
of the effectiveness of U.S. Customs and Border Protection 
actions described in each such report, including rec-
ommendations for improvements as the Comptroller Gen-
eral determines appropriate. 
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(f) RURAL OR REMOTE AREAS DEFINED.—For pur-
poses of this section, the term ‘‘rural or remote areas’’ 
means areas within the United States that are not within 
an area defined and designated as urbanized areas by the 
Bureau of the Census in the most recently completed decen-
nial census and include areas along the northern and south-
ern borders. 
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Union Calendar No. 8 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 1598 
[Report No. 116–22] 
A BILL 
To require the Secretary of Homeland Security to 
issue a strategy to improve hiring and retention 
of U.S. Customs and Border Protection per-
sonnel in rural or remote areas, and for other 
purposes. 
MARCH 28, 2019 
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Com-
mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, 
and ordered to be printed 
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