Title: Remote Areas Border Security Enhancements Act
Policy area: Immigration

Summary:
Remote Areas Border Security Enhancements Act
This bill prohibits the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from beginning construction on any infrastructure project along the U.S.-Mexico border until (1) the Government Accountability Office evaluates the need and costs for using certain enhanced technology and other resources in rural and remote areas along the border; and (2) U.S. Customs and Border Protection acquires or increases the use of such enhanced technologies and resources, including advanced detection surveillance technology, night vision technology, and off-road vehicles.
DHS shall establish the Agent Mobility Program as a five-year pilot program, which shall provide certain benefits to agents who serve at least three years in a hard-to-fill station in the El Paso Sector.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 404 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 404

 To require the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection to 
acquire and enhance technology and assets in rural or remote areas near 
 the southern border and to establish an Agent Mobility Demonstration 
                                Program.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            February 7, 2019

Mr. Heinrich (for himself and Mr. Udall) introduced the following bill; 
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security 
                        and Governmental Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To require the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection to 
acquire and enhance technology and assets in rural or remote areas near 
 the southern border and to establish an Agent Mobility Demonstration 
                                Program.

    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 ``Remote Areas Border Security 
Enhancements Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINED TERM.

    In this Act, the term ``rural or remote area'' means an area within 
the United States along the international border between the United 
States and Mexico that is not within an area defined and designated by 
the Bureau of the Census as an urbanized area.

SEC. 3. BORDER SECURITY ENHANCEMENTS IN MOUNTAINOUS, HIGH DESERT, AND 
              BACKCOUNTRY TERRAIN.

    (a) In General.--Notwithstanding section 102 of the Illegal 
Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 
1103 note; Public Law 104-208), the Secretary of Homeland Security may 
not begin the construction of any infrastructure project (including a 
pedestrian fence, vehicle barrier, levee, gate, wall, fence, road, or 
port of entry) along the international border between the United States 
and Mexico until--
            (1) the Comptroller General of the United States conducts a 
        study that evaluates the need for enhanced technology and 
        maintenance on existing equipment and other resources in rural 
        or remote areas, prioritizing mountainous, high desert, and 
        backcountry areas, including the estimated costs for carrying 
        out the activities described in paragraph (2); and
            (2) the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border 
        Protection--
                    (A) increases the use of advanced detection and 
                surveillance technology;
                    (B) acquires fixed and mobile technology assets, 
                including night vision technology;
                    (C) increases and improves interoperable 
                communications;
                    (D) acquires and deploys such additional horses and 
                off-road vehicles, including all-terrain vehicles, as 
                may be necessary to provide for enhanced security in 
                rural or remote areas near the international border 
                between the United States and Mexico;
                    (E) increases and upgrades facilities to the extent 
                necessary to accommodate personnel and asset needs, 
                including horse patrol facilities; and
                    (F) performs any maintenance and care that may be 
                necessary to preserve the operational capability of all 
                mountainous, high desert, and backcountry assets, 
                including technology assets, vehicles, forward 
                operating bases, and horse patrol facilities.
    (b) Requirements.--In carrying out subsection (a), the Commissioner 
shall--
            (1) consult with agents in the field; and
            (2) prioritize the deployment of such technology based on 
        the needs of remote stations and forward operating bases in 
        rural or remote areas near the international border between the 
        United States and Mexico.

SEC. 4. REPORT.

    Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Commissioner shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional 
committees that describes the implementation of section 3, including--
            (1) the assets deployed in rural or remote areas near the 
        international border between the United States and Mexico; and
            (2) the expenditures incurred to acquire and deploy such 
        assets.

SEC. 5. AGENT MOBILITY DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall establish 
a 5-year pilot program in the El Paso Sector, to be known as the 
``Agent Mobility Program'', under which agents assigned within the El 
Paso Sector may laterally transfer to a designated, hard-to-fill 
station within the El Paso Sector for a period of at least 3 years.
    (b) Completion of Service.--Any agent who completes 3 years of 
service at a hard-to-fill station to which he or she transferred under 
the program established under paragraph (1)--
            (1) shall be presented to the selecting officer as a 
        preferred agent; and
            (2) shall be eligible to transfer to 1 of 3 border patrol 
        stations in the El Paso Sector of his or her choice that has an 
        opening at the time of such transfer.

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    In addition to amounts otherwise authorized to be appropriated, 
there is authorized to be appropriated, to U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection, the amount determined to be necessary under the study 
required under section 3(a)(1) to carry out the activities described in 
section 3(a)(2).
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