(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. 
(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. 
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(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. 
(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). 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Secure Border Act of 
2011’’. 
SEC. 2. STRATEGY TO ACHIEVE OPERATIONAL CONTROL OF 
THE BORDER. 
(a) STRATEGY TO SECURE THE BORDER BETWEEN 
THE PORTS OF ENTRY.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland 
Security shall submit to the appropriate congressional com-
mittees a comprehensive strategy for gaining, within five 
years, operational control of the international borders be-
tween the ports of entry of the United States. The strategy 
shall include an analysis of the following: 
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(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, camera 
technology, sensors, and other innovative technology 
as the Secretary may determine. 
(4) Cooperative agreements with international, 
State, local, tribal, and other Federal law enforcement 
agencies that have jurisdiction on the northern border 
and southern border. 
(5) Other means designed to detect, respond to, 
and interdict unlawful cross-border activity and to 
reduce the level of violence. 
(6) A schedule for implementing security meas-
ures, including a prioritization for future invest-
ments. 
(7) A comprehensive technology plan for major 
surveillance and detection technology programs, in-
cluding a justification and rationale for technology 
choices and deployment locations. 
(8) The recommendations made in the December 
2010 Government Accountability Office report enti-
tled ‘‘Enhanced DHS Oversight and Assessment of 
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Interagency Coordination is Needed for the Northern 
Border’’. 
(b) SECURING THE BORDER AT PORTS OF ENTRY.— 
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of 
this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall develop 
metrics to measure the effectiveness of security at ports of 
entry, which shall consider, at minimum, the following: 
(1) The number of infractions related to per-
sonnel and cargo committed by major violators who 
are apprehended by U.S. Customs and Border Protec-
tion at such ports of entry. 
(2) The estimated number of such infractions 
committed by major violators who are not so appre-
hended. 
(3) The required number of U.S. Customs and 
Border Protection Officers, Agricultural Specialists, 
and Canine Enforcement Officers necessary to achieve 
operational control at such ports of entry. 
(4) Infrastructure improvements required to 
achieve operational control at such ports of entry, in-
cluding the installation of nonintrusive detection 
equipment, radiation portal monitors, biometrics, and 
other sensors and technology that the Secretary deter-
mines necessary. 
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(5) The deployment of resources based on the 
overall commercial and passenger traffic, cargo vol-
ume, and threat environment at such ports of entry. 
(6) The recommendations made in the December 
2010 Government Accountability Office report enti-
tled ‘‘Enhanced DHS Oversight and Assessment of 
Interagency Coordination is Needed for the Northern 
Border’’. 
(c) EVALUATION BY DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY NA-
TIONAL LABORATORY.—The Secretary of Homeland Secu-
rity shall request the head of an appropriate Department 
of Energy National Laboratory with prior expertise in bor-
der security to evaluate the measurement system required 
under subsection (b) to ensure its suitability and statistical 
validity for analyzing progress for the interdiction of illegal 
crossing and contraband at ports of entry. 
(d) CONSIDERATION OF ALTERNATIVE BORDER SECU-
RITY STANDARDS.—If in developing the strategic plan re-
quired under subsection (a) the Secretary of Homeland Se-
curity makes a determination to measure security between 
border ports of entry by a standard other than operational 
control, the Secretary shall request the head of an appro-
priate Department of Energy National Laboratory with 
prior expertise in border security to evaluate such alter-
native standard to ensure the suitability and statistical va-
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lidity of such standard with respect to measuring the 
progress for the interdiction of illegal crossings and contra-
band that pass between such ports of entry. 
(e) REPORTS.—Not later than 60 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act and annually thereafter, the 
Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit the appro-
priate congressional committee a report on the following: 
(1) A resource allocation model for current and 
future year staffing requirements that includes opti-
mal staffing levels at all land, air, and sea ports of 
entry and an explanation of U.S. Customs and Bor-
der Protection methodology for aligning staffing levels 
and workload to threats and vulnerabilities across all 
mission areas. 
(2) Detailed information on the level of man-
power data available at all land, air, and sea ports 
of entry, including the number of canine and agricul-
tural officers assigned to each such port of entry. 
(f) DEFINITIONS.—In this Act: 
(1) 
APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COM-
MITTEE.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com-
mittee’’ means the Committee on Homeland Security 
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the 
Senate. 
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(2) MAJOR VIOLATOR.—The term ‘‘major viola-
tor’’ means a person or entity that is or has engaged 
in serious criminal activities at any land, air, or sea 
port of entry, including possession of narcotics, smug-
gling of prohibited products, human smuggling, weap-
ons possession, use of fraudulent United States docu-
ments, and other offenses serious enough to result in 
arrest. 
(3) OPERATIONAL CONTROL.—The term ‘‘oper-
ational 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). 
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Union Calendar No. 184 
112TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 1299 
[Report No. 112–274] 
A BILL 
To achieve operational control of and improve secu-
rity at the international land borders of the 
United States, and for other purposes. 
NOVEMBER 10, 2011 
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Com-
mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, 
and ordered to be printed 
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