I 
112TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1299 
To achieve operational control of and improve security at the international 
land borders of the United States, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 31, 2011 
Mrs. MILLER of Michigan (for herself, Mr. KING of New York, Mrs. 
BLACKBURN, Mr. FRANKS of Arizona, Mr. BURTON of Indiana, Mr. 
WALBERG, Mr. QUAYLE, Mr. ROGERS of Alabama, Mr. LONG, Mr. 
MCCAUL, Mr. WALSH of Illinois, Mr. POE of Texas, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mr. 
WESTMORELAND, Mr. DUNCAN of South Carolina, Mr. CANSECO, Mr. 
DANIEL E. LUNGREN of California, Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado, and Mrs. 
MCMORRIS RODGERS) introduced the following bill; which was referred 
to the Committee on Homeland Security 
A BILL 
To achieve operational control of and improve security at 
the international land borders of 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 ‘‘Secure Border Act of 
2011’’. 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
02:49 Apr 02, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1299.IH
H1299
rfrederick on DSKD9S0YB1PROD with BILLS
SEC. 2. STRATEGY TO ACHIEVE OPERATIONAL CONTROL 
OF THE BORDER. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
(1) The border shared by the United States and 
Mexico, and numerous Mexican towns in close prox-
imity to that border, have experienced a dramatic 
surge in crime and violence to ongoing activity 
among rival Mexican drug cartels and criminal 
smuggling organizations that employ predatory tac-
tics to realize their profits. 
(2) In August 2005, the States of New Mexico 
and Arizona declared states of emergency in order to 
provide local law enforcement immediate assistance 
in addressing criminal activity along the Southwest 
border. 
(3) A recent Government Accountability Office 
report found that only 44 percent of the Southwest 
border was under operational control, and less than 
two percent of the Northern border is under oper-
ational control. 
(4) It is the obligation of the Federal Govern-
ment to adequately secure the borders of the United 
States and prevent the flow into the United States 
of undocumented persons, unlawful drugs, and other 
contraband. 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
02:49 Apr 02, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1299.IH
H1299
rfrederick on DSKD9S0YB1PROD with BILLS
(b) STRATEGY.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Home-
land Security shall submit to the Committee on Homeland 
Security of the House of Representatives and the Com-
mittee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs 
Committee of the Senate a comprehensive strategy for 
gaining operational control of the international borders of 
the United States within five years. The strategy shall in-
clude an analysis of the following: 
(1) Staffing requirements for all border security 
functions. 
(2) Investment in infrastructure, including pe-
destrian fencing, vehicle barriers, and roads. 
(3) The use of unmanned aerial vehicles, cam-
era technology, and sensors. 
(4) Cooperation agreements with international, 
State, local, tribal, and other Federal law enforce-
ment agencies that have jurisdiction on the border. 
(5) Other means designed to detect, respond to, 
and interdict cross-border unlawful activity and to 
reduce the level of violence. 
(6) A schedule for implementing security meas-
ures, including a prioritization for future invest-
ments. 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
02:49 Apr 02, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1299.IH
H1299
rfrederick on DSKD9S0YB1PROD with BILLS
(7) Considerations of risks to border commu-
nities and law enforcement. 
(c) OPERATIONAL CONTROL DEFINED.—In this Act, 
the term ‘‘operational control’’ has the meaning given such 
term in section 2(b) of the Secure Fence Act of 2006 (8 
U.S.C. 1701 note; Public Law 109–367). 
Æ 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
02:49 Apr 02, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H1299.IH
H1299
rfrederick on DSKD9S0YB1PROD with BILLS