I 
112TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1277 
To authorize the Secretary of Homeland Security to make grants for public- 
private partnerships that finance equipment and infrastructure to im-
prove the public safety of persons who are residents of rural areas 
of the United States near the border with Mexico by enhancing access 
to mobile communications, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 31, 2011 
Mr. POE of Texas introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee 
on Agriculture, 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 authorize the Secretary of Homeland Security to make 
grants for public-private partnerships that finance equip-
ment and infrastructure to improve the public safety 
of persons who are residents of rural areas of the United 
States near the border with Mexico by enhancing access 
to mobile communications, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Southern Borderlands 
Public Safety Communications Act’’. 
SEC. 2. PURPOSE. 
The purpose of this Act is to improve the public safe-
ty of persons living in rural areas of the United States 
near the border with Mexico by enhancing mobile commu-
nications capabilities. 
SEC. 3. GRANT PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Homeland Secu-
rity may make competitive grants for public-private part-
nerships that finance equipment and infrastructure to im-
prove the public safety of persons who are residents of 
rural areas of the United States near the border with Mex-
ico, by enhancing access to mobile communications for 
such persons who do not currently have access to reliable 
mobile communications networks. 
(b) FOCUS AREAS.—In making grants under this sec-
tion, the Secretary shall focus on projects that improve 
mobile communications in areas impacted by the illegal 
smuggling and trafficking of people and drugs from Mex-
ico into the United States. 
(c) ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS.—Persons eligible for 
grants under this section include States, counties, munici-
palities, organizations representing agricultural producers 
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and other rural Americans, and telecommunications pro-
viders. 
(d) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.—For 
grants under this section there is authorized to be appro-
priated to the Secretary $10,000,000 for the 3-fiscal-year 
period following the date of enactment of this Act. 
(e) FUNDING OFFSET.—To offset amounts appro-
priated pursuant to the authorization of appropriations in 
subsection (d), the International Forestry Cooperation Act 
of 1990 (16 U.S.C. 4501 et seq.) is repealed. 
Æ 
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