DHS Rural and Remote Hiring and Retention Strategy Act of 2022
Bill: H.R.7459 | Sponsor: Rep. Golden, Jared F. (D-ME)
Policy area: Immigration

Summary:
DHS Rural and Remote Hiring and Retention Strategy Act of 2022
This bill requires the Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to issue a strategy and implementation plan to improve the hiring and retention of individuals by ICE and CBP in rural or remote areas.
DHS must periodically report to Congress and the Government Accountability Office (GAO) on the extent that the strategy and implementation plan has improved hiring and retention. After receiving each DHS report, the GAO must submit to Congress an assessment of the effectiveness of the actions described in the DHS report.

To require the Secretary of Homeland Security to issue a strategy to 
improve hiring and retention of U.S. Customs and Border Protection and 
 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel in rural or remote 
                     areas, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``DHS Rural and Remote Hiring and 
Retention Strategy Act of 2022''.

SEC. 2. STRATEGY.

    (a) In General.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting 
through the Chief Human Capital Officer of the Department of Homeland 
Security, the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and 
the Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, shall issue a 
strategy and implementation plan, including benchmarks, to improve the 
hiring and retention of individuals by U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in rural or 
remote areas relating to employment in such areas.
    (b) Considerations.--The strategy required under subsection (a) 
shall take into consideration the following:
            (1) Feedback from individuals who are U.S. Customs and 
        Border Protection or U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement 
        candidates or new hires at locations in rural or remote areas, 
        including feedback on the quality of life in such areas for new 
        hires and their families.
            (2) Feedback from U.S. Customs and Border Protection and 
        U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel, other than 
        new hires, who are stationed at locations in rural or remote 
        areas, including feedback on the quality of life in such areas 
        for such personnel and their families.
            (3) Feedback from U.S. Customs and Border Protection and 
        U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel who have 
        decided to separate from U.S. Customs and Border Protection and 
        U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as the case may be.
            (4) An assessment of existing Federal programs, including 
        financial incentives and other compensation-based 
        flexibilities, regarding how to most effectively aid spouses 
        and families of individuals who are candidates or new hires in 
        a rural or remote area.
            (5) An assessment of Department of Homeland Security 
        internship programs and the usefulness of such programs in 
        improving hiring by the Secretary of Homeland Security in rural 
        or remote areas.
    (c) Plan.--The implementation plan required under subsection (a) 
shall--
            (1) include a pilot or other program, as appropriate, to 
        address hiring and retention challenges faced by U.S. Customs 
        and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs 
        Enforcement in rural or remote areas; and
            (2) enhance strategic recruiting efforts of U.S. Customs 
        and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs 
        Enforcement through relationships with institutions of higher 
        education (as such term is defined in section 102 of the Higher 
        Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002)), veterans transition 
        and employment centers, and job placement programs in regions 
        that could assist in filling positions in rural or remote 
        areas.
    (d) Report to Congress and GAO.--Beginning on the date that is one 
year after the date of issuance of the strategy and implementation plan 
required under subsection (a) and for four years thereafter, the 
Secretary of Homeland Security shall report to the Committee on 
Homeland Security of the House of Representatives, the Committee on 
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate, and the 
Comptroller General of the United States on the extent to which such 
strategy and implementation plan has improved the hiring and retention 
by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs 
Enforcement of employees in rural or remote areas.
    (e) GAO Assessment.--Not later than 120 days after receiving each 
report required under subsection (d), the Comptroller General of the 
United States shall submit to the committees referred to in such 
subsection an assessment of the effectiveness of U.S. Customs and 
Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions 
described in each such report, including recommendations for 
improvements as the Comptroller General determines appropriate.
    (f) Rural or Remote Areas Defined.--For purposes of this section, 
the term ``rural or remote areas'' means areas within the United States 
that are not within an area defined and designated as urbanized areas 
by the Bureau of the Census in the most recently completed decennial 
census, and includes areas along the northern and southern borders.
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