I 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5619 
To provide emergency funding for port of entry personnel and infrastructure, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 25, 2018 
Mr. O’ROURKE (for himself and Ms. STEFANIK) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addi-
tion to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Appropriations, for a 
period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the com-
mittee concerned 
A BILL 
To provide emergency funding for port of entry personnel 
and infrastructure, and for other purposes. 
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 ‘‘Emergency Port of 
Entry Personnel and Infrastructure Funding Act of 
2018’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
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(1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis-
trator’’ means the Administrator of the General 
Services Administration. 
(2) 
COMMISSIONER.—The 
term 
‘‘Commis-
sioner’’ means the Commissioner of U.S. Customs 
and Border Protection. 
(3) NORTHERN BORDER.—The term ‘‘Northern 
border’’ means the international border between the 
United States and Canada. 
(4) RELEVANT COMMITTEES OF CONGRESS.— 
The term ‘‘relevant committees of Congress’’ 
means— 
(A) the Committee on Environment and 
Public Works of the Senate; 
(B) the Committee on Finance of the Sen-
ate; 
(C) the Committee on Homeland Security 
and Governmental Affairs of the Senate; 
(D) the Committee on the Judiciary of the 
Senate; 
(E) the Committee on Homeland Security 
of the House of Representatives; 
(F) the Committee on the Judiciary of the 
House of Representatives; and 
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(G) the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure of the House of Representatives. 
(5) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Homeland Security. 
(6) SOUTHERN BORDER.—The term ‘‘Southern 
border’’ means the international border between the 
United States and Mexico. 
SEC. 3. U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION PER-
SONNEL. 
(a) STAFF ENHANCEMENTS.— 
(1) AUTHORIZATION.—In addition to positions 
authorized before the date of the enactment of this 
Act and any existing officer vacancies within U.S. 
Customs and Border Protection on such date, the 
Secretary, subject to the availability of appropria-
tions for such purpose, shall hire, train, and assign 
to duty, by not later than September 30, 2023— 
(A) 5,000 full-time U.S. Customs and Bor-
der Protection officers to serve on all inspection 
lanes (primary, secondary, incoming, and out-
going) and enforcement teams at United States 
land ports of entry on the Northern border and 
the Southern border; and 
(B) 350 full-time support staff for all 
United States ports of entry. 
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(2) WAIVER
OF
FTE
LIMITATION.—The Sec-
retary may waive any limitation on the number of 
full-time equivalent personnel assigned to the De-
partment of Homeland Security in order to carry 
out paragraph (1). 
(b) REPORTS TO CONGRESS.— 
(1) OUTBOUND INSPECTIONS.—Not later than 
90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary shall submit to the relevant commit-
tees of Congress a report that includes a plan for 
ensuring the placement of sufficient U.S. Customs 
and Border Protection officers on outbound inspec-
tions, and adequate outbound infrastructure, at all 
Southern border land ports of entry. 
(2) SUFFICIENT
AGRICULTURAL
SPECIALISTS 
AND PERSONNEL.—Not later than 90 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in 
consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture and 
the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall 
submit to the relevant committees of Congress a re-
port that contains plans for the Department of 
Homeland Security, the Department of Agriculture, 
and the Department of Health and Human Services, 
respectively, for ensuring the placement of sufficient 
U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture 
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specialists, Animal and Plant Health Inspection 
Service entomologist identifier specialists, Food and 
Drug Administration consumer safety officers, and 
other relevant and related personnel at all Southern 
border land ports of entry. 
(3) ANNUAL IMPLEMENTATION REPORT.—Not 
later than one year after the date of the enactment 
of this Act and annually thereafter, the Secretary 
shall submit to the relevant committees of Congress 
a report that— 
(A) details the Department of Homeland 
Security’s implementation plan for the staff en-
hancements 
required 
under 
subsection 
(a)(1)(A); 
(B) includes the number of additional per-
sonnel assigned to duty at land ports of entry, 
classified by location; 
(C) describes the methodology used to de-
termine the distribution of additional personnel 
to address northbound and southbound cross- 
border inspections; and 
(D) includes— 
(i) the strategic plan required under 
section 5(a)(1); 
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