I 
113TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 583 
To enhance the safety of ports of entry in the United States, and for 
other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 6, 2013 
Mr. VELA (for himself, Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi, Mr. CUELLAR, Mr. 
HINOJOSA, Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas, Ms. JACKSON LEE, Ms. EDDIE 
BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. DOGGETT, Ms. ROY-
BAL-ALLARD, Mr. GALLEGO, Mr. MICHAUD, Mr. O’ROURKE, Mr. PASTOR 
of Arizona, and Mr. VARGAS) introduced the following bill; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the 
Committees on Ways and Means, Agriculture, and Transportation and 
Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speak-
er, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the ju-
risdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To enhance the safety of ports of entry in the United States, 
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 ‘‘Putting Our Resources 
Toward Security (PORTS) Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. INCREASE IN NUMBER OF CUSTOMS AND BORDER 
PROTECTION OFFICERS. 
(a) CUSTOMS
AND BORDER PROTECTION OFFI-
CERS.—During the five-year period between fiscal years 
2014 and 2018, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall, 
subject to the availability of appropriations for such pur-
pose, increase by not fewer than 5,000 the total number 
of full-time, active-duty Customs and Border Protection 
Officers within United States Customs and Border Protec-
tion for posting at United States ports of entry above the 
number of such officers for which funds were made avail-
able during fiscal year 2012. 
(b) AGRICULTURE SPECIALISTS.—During the five- 
year period between fiscal years 2014 and 2018, the Sec-
retary of Homeland Security shall, subject to the avail-
ability of appropriations for purpose, increase by not fewer 
than 1,200 the number of full-time, active-duty Customs 
and Border Protection agriculture specialists for posting 
at United States ports of entry above the number of such 
support personnel for which funds were made available 
during fiscal year 2012. 
(c) BORDER SECURITY SUPPORT PERSONNEL.— 
During the five-year period between fiscal years 2014 and 
2018, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall, subject 
to the availability of appropriations for such purpose, in-
crease by not fewer than 350 the number of full-time, ac-
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tive-duty border security support personnel for posting at 
United States ports of entry above the number of such 
support personnel for which funds were made available 
during fiscal year 2012. 
SEC. 3. IMPROVING PORTS OF ENTRY FOR BORDER SECU-
RITY AND OTHER PURPOSES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appro-
priated to the Administrator of the General Services Ad-
ministration $1,000,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2014 
through 2018 to make improvements to existing ports of 
entry in the United States to improve border security and 
for other purposes. 
(b) PRIORITY.—In making improvements described 
in subsection (a), the Administrator of the General Serv-
ices Administration, in coordination with the Secretary of 
Homeland Security, shall give priority to the ports of entry 
that the Administrator determines are in most need of re-
pair to improve border security and for other purposes in 
accordance with port of entry infrastructure assessment 
studies required in section 603 of title VI, division E, of 
the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2008 (Public Law 
110–161). 
Æ 
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