I 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6742 
To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to ensure that appropriate 
officers and agents of U.S. Customs and Border Protection are equipped 
with secure radios or other two-way communication devices, supported 
by system interoperability, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 7, 2018 
Mr. MAST (for himself and Mr. MCCAUL) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to 
the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently de-
termined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to ensure 
that appropriate officers and agents of U.S. Customs 
and Border Protection are equipped with secure radios 
or other two-way communication devices, supported by 
system interoperability, 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 ‘‘Secure Border Com-
munications Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. SECURE BORDER COMMUNICATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subtitle B of title IV of the 
Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 211 et seq.) 
is amended by adding at the end the following new section: 
‘‘SEC. 420. SECURE BORDER COMMUNICATIONS. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall ensure that 
each U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer or agent, 
if appropriate, is equipped with a secure radio or other 
two-way communication device, supported by system inter-
operability, that allows each such officer or agent to com-
municate— 
‘‘(1) between ports of entry and inspection sta-
tions; and 
‘‘(2) with other Federal, State, Tribal, and local 
law enforcement entities. 
‘‘(b) U.S. BORDER PATROL AGENTS.—The Secretary 
shall ensure that each U.S. Border Patrol agent assigned 
or required to patrol in remote mission critical locations, 
and at border checkpoints, has a multi- or dual-band 
encrypted portable radio. 
‘‘(c) 
COMMERCIAL
MOBILE
BROADBAND 
CONNECTIVITY.—In carrying out subsection (b), the Sec-
retary shall acquire radios or other devices with the option 
to connect to appropriate commercial mobile broadband 
networks for deployment in areas where such networks en-
hance operations and are cost effective. 
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‘‘(d) EMERGING COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGIES 
CONSIDERED.—In carrying out this section, the Secretary 
may evaluate new or emerging communications tech-
nologies to determine their suitability for the unique condi-
tions of border security operations.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 
in section 1(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is 
amended by inserting after the item relating to section 
419 the following new item: 
‘‘Sec. 420. Secure border communications.’’. 
Æ 
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