I 
117TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8566 
To impose a fee on certain remittance transfers to fund border security. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 28, 2022 
Mr. HERN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Homeland 
Security, Foreign Affairs, Financial Services, and the Judiciary, for a pe-
riod to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for con-
sideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the com-
mittee concerned 
A BILL 
To impose a fee on certain remittance transfers to fund 
border security. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. REMITTANCE TRANSFER FEE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 920 of the Electronic 
Fund Transfer Act (relating to remittance transfers) (15 
U.S.C. 1693o–1) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsection (g) as sub-
section (h); and 
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(2) by inserting after subsection (f) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(g) REMITTANCE TRANSFER FEE.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—If the designated recipient 
of a remittance transfer is located outside of the 
United States, a remittance transfer provider shall 
collect from the sender of such remittance transfer 
a remittance transfer fee equal to 5 percent of the 
United States dollar amount to be transferred. 
‘‘(2) TRANSFER OF FUNDS.—Not later than 90 
days after the date of enactment of this subsection, 
the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with 
the Bureau and remittance transfer providers, shall 
develop and make available a system for remittance 
transfer providers to submit the remittance transfer 
fees collected in accordance with paragraph (1) to 
the Secretary for transfer to the Border Enforce-
ment Trust Fund as provided in section 3344(b) of 
title 31, United States Code. 
‘‘(3) PENALTIES.— 
‘‘(A) Whoever, with the intent to evade a 
remittance transfer fee to be collected in ac-
cordance with this subsection, and who has 
knowledge that, at the time of a remittance 
transfer, the value of the funds involved in the 
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transfer will be further transferred to a recipi-
ent located outside of the United States, re-
quests or facilitates such remittance transfer to 
a recipient located outside of the United States 
shall be subject to a penalty of not more than 
$500,000 or twice the value of the funds in-
volved in the remittance transfer, whichever is 
greater, or imprisonment for not more than 20 
years, or both. 
‘‘(B) Any foreign country that, in the joint 
determination of the Secretary of Homeland Se-
curity, the Secretary of the Treasury, and the 
Secretary of State, aids or harbors an indi-
vidual conspiring to avoid the fee collected in 
accordance with this subsection shall be ineli-
gible to receive foreign assistance and to par-
ticipate in the visa waiver program or any other 
programs, at the discretion of the Secretaries 
described in this subparagraph.’’. 
(b) REFUNDABLE INCOME TAX CREDIT ALLOWED 
TO CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES FOR REMITTANCE 
TRANSFER FEES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subpart C of part IV of sub-
chapter A of chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code 
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of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new section: 
‘‘SEC. 36C. REMITTANCE TRANSFER FEES OF UNITED 
STATES CITIZENS. 
‘‘In the case of any individual who is a citizen of the 
United States, there shall be allowed as a credit against 
the tax imposed by this subtitle for any taxable year an 
amount equal to the aggregate amount of remittance 
transfer fees paid by such individual under section 920(g) 
of the Electronic Fund Transfer Act (15 U.S.C. 1693o– 
19(g)) during such taxable year.’’. 
(2) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(A) Section 6211(b)(4)(A) of the Internal 
Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by inserting 
‘‘36C,’’ after ‘‘36B,’’. 
(B) Paragraph (2) of section 1324(b) of 
title 31, United States Code, is amended by in-
serting ‘‘36C,’’ after ‘‘36B,’’. 
(C) The table of sections for subpart C of 
part IV of subchapter A of chapter 1 of the In-
ternal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by in-
serting after the item relating to section 36B 
the following new item: 
‘‘Sec. 36C. Remittance transfer fees of United States citizens.’’. 
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(3) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made 
by this subsection shall apply to taxable year ending 
after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(c) REPORT REGARDING AMOUNT OF REMITTANCE 
TRANSFERS TO EACH FOREIGN COUNTRY.—The Commis-
sioner of the United States Customs and Border Protec-
tion shall annually submit to the Committee on Banking, 
Housing, and Urban Affairs and the Committee on Home-
land Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate and 
the Committee on Financial Services and the Committee 
on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives an 
annual report describing the aggregate amount of remit-
tance transfers made to each foreign country during the 
year to which such report relates. 
SEC. 2. BORDER ENFORCEMENT TRUST FUND. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF FUND.—At the end of sub-
chapter III of chapter 33 of title 31, United States Code, 
insert the following: 
‘‘§ 3344. Border Enforcement Trust Fund. 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF TRUST FUND.—Not later 
than 60 days after the date of enactment of this section, 
the Secretary of the Treasury shall establish an account 
in the Treasury of the United States, to be known as the 
‘Border Enforcement Trust Fund’. 
‘‘(b) TRANSFERS TO TRUST FUND.— 
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‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—There are hereby appro-
priated to the Border Enforcement Trust Fund the 
excess of— 
‘‘(A) amounts collected as remittance 
transfer fees under section 920(g) of the Elec-
tronic Fund Transfer Act (15 U.S.C. 1693o– 
19(g)), over 
‘‘(B) credits allowed under section 36C of 
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 with respect 
to such amounts. 
‘‘(2) TIMING
AND
ESTIMATES.—Amounts ap-
propriated under paragraph (1) shall be transferred 
by the Secretary of the Treasury at least monthly 
from the general fund of the Treasury on the basis 
of estimates made by the Secretary of the Treasury. 
Proper adjustments shall be made in amounts subse-
quently transferred to the extent prior estimates 
where in excess of or less than the amounts required 
to be transferred. 
‘‘(c) EXPENDITURES FROM TRUST FUND.—Amounts 
in the Border Enforcement Trust Fund shall be available, 
as provided in appropriation Acts, only to— 
‘‘(1) employ and train additional U.S. Border 
Patrol agents, 
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‘‘(2) employ and train officers and support staff 
employed in enforcement and removal operations of 
Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the De-
partment of Homeland Security, 
‘‘(3) plan, design, construct, improve, or main-
tain barriers along the international border between 
the United States and Mexico, and 
‘‘(4) plan, design, construct, improve, or main-
tain detention facilities for aliens without lawful im-
migration status.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 
for chapter 33 of title 31, United States Code, is amended 
by inserting at the end the following: 
‘‘3344. Border Enforcement Trust Fund.’’. 
Æ 
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