Title: Border Security Technology Accountability Act of 2017
Policy area: Immigration

Summary:
Border Security Technology Accountability Act of 2017
This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to: (1) ensure that each border security technology acquisition program that is determined to be a major acquisition program has an acquisition program baseline approved by the relevant acquisition decision authority; (2) document that each such program is meeting the cost, schedule, and performance thresholds specified in such baseline in compliance with relevant departmental acquisition policies and the Federal Acquisition Regulation; and (3) have a plan for each such program to meet program implementation objectives by managing contractor performance. "Major acquisition program" means a DHS acquisition program that is estimated by DHS to require an eventual total expenditure of at least $300 million over its life cycle cost.
DHS must ensure that border security technology acquisition program managers adhere to relevant internal control standards identified by the Government Accountability Office.
DHS shall submit a plan for testing and evaluation, as well as for the use of independent verification and validation resources, for border security technology so that new border security technologies are evaluated through a series of assessments, processes, and audits to ensure compliance with relevant departmental acquisition policies and the Federal Acquisition Regulation and the effectiveness of taxpayer dollars.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 505 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 505

To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to strengthen accountability 
   for deployment of border security technology at the Department of 
               Homeland Security, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 12, 2017

  Ms. McSally (for herself, Mr. Gosar, Mr. Hensarling, Mr. Hurd, Mr. 
Katko, Mr. King of New York, Mr. Franks of Arizona, Mr. Farenthold, Ms. 
Sinema, Mrs. Comstock, Mr. Russell, Mr. Donovan, Mr. McCaul, Mr. Biggs, 
  and Mr. Rogers of Alabama) introduced the following bill; which was 
             referred to the Committee on Homeland Security

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to strengthen accountability 
   for deployment of border security technology at the Department of 
               Homeland Security, 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 ``Border Security Technology 
Accountability Act of 2017''.

SEC. 2. BORDER SECURITY TECHNOLOGY ACCOUNTABILITY.

    (a) In General.--Subtitle C of title IV of the Homeland Security 
Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 231 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the 
following new section:

``SEC. 434. BORDER SECURITY TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM MANAGEMENT.

    ``(a) Planning Documentation.--For each border security technology 
acquisition program of the Department that is determined to be a major 
acquisition program, the Secretary shall--
            ``(1) ensure that each such program has a written 
        acquisition program baseline approved by the relevant 
        acquisition decision authority;
            ``(2) document that each such program is meeting cost, 
        schedule, and performance thresholds as specified in such 
        baseline, in compliance with relevant departmental acquisition 
        policies and the Federal Acquisition Regulation; and
            ``(3) have a plan for meeting program implementation 
        objectives by managing contractor performance.
    ``(b) Adherence to Standards.--The Secretary, acting through the 
Under Secretary for Management and the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and 
Border Protection, shall ensure border security technology acquisition 
program managers who are responsible for carrying out this section 
adhere to relevant internal control standards identified by the 
Comptroller General of the United States. The Commissioner shall 
provide information, as needed, to assist the Under Secretary in 
monitoring proper program management of border security technology 
acquisition programs under this section.
    ``(c) Plan.--The Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary for 
Management, in coordination with the Under Secretary for Science and 
Technology and the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 
shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a plan for 
testing and evaluation, as well as the use of independent verification 
and validation resources, for border security technology so that new 
border security technologies are evaluated through a series of 
assessments, processes, and audits to ensure compliance with relevant 
departmental acquisition policies and the Federal Acquisition 
Regulation, as well as the effectiveness of taxpayer dollars.
    ``(d) Major Acquisition Program Defined.--In this section, the term 
`major acquisition program' means a Department acquisition program that 
is estimated by the Secretary to require an eventual total expenditure 
of at least $300,000,000 (based on fiscal year 2017 constant dollars) 
over its life cycle cost.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents of the Homeland 
Security Act of 2002 is amended by inserting after the item relating to 
section 433 the following new item:

``Sec. 434. Border security technology program management.''.

SEC. 3. PROHIBITION ON ADDITIONAL AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated to carry out 
this Act and the amendments made by this Act. This Act and such 
amendments shall be carried out using amounts otherwise available for 
such purposes.
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