Border Infrastructure and Technology Integration Act of 2004

Bill: 108-s-2295
Sponsor: Sen. McCain, John [R-AZ]
Introduced: 2004-04-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Armed Forces and National Security
Authorization
Biological warfare
Border patrols
Boundaries
Cameras
Canada
Chemical warfare
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Commerce
Commercialization
Communication in medicine
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Cost effectiveness
Customs administration
Department of Homeland Security
Drone aircraft
EBB Terrorism
Economics and Public Finance
Electronic surveillance
Emergency Management
Epidemiology
Executive reorganization
Explosives
Federal aid to research
Federal employees
Federal-Indian relations
Federal-local relations
Federal-state relations
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Government publicity
Governmental investigations
Health
Health information systems
High technology
Hospitals
Immigration
Infrastructure
Infrastructure (Economics)
Intergovernmental relations
International Affairs
Latin America
Law
Legislation
Licenses
Mexico
Minorities
Native Americans
Nuclear terrorism
Performance measurement
Planning
Planning-programming-budgeting
Productivity in government
Public-private partnerships
Recruiting of employees
Remote sensing
Research and development
Research and development facilities
Research grants
Right of privacy
Risk
Salaries
Science, Technology, Communications
Security measures
Surface-to-air missiles
Systems analysis
Technological innovations
Technology assessment
Technology transfer
Terrorism

Summary:
action_date: 2004-04-07
text: 
Border Infrastructure and Technology Integration Act of 2004 - Directs the Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Border and Transportation Security (the Under Secretary) to study the technology, equipment, and personnel needed to address security vulnerabilities within the United States for each Bureau of Customs and Border Protection field office that has responsibility for U.S. borders with Canada and Mexico (border area).
 
Authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security (the Secretary) to provide specified funds to field offices to develop innovative techniques and technologies to carry out their duties. 
 
Directs the Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Science and Technology to: (1) develop pilot programs to utilize, or increase the utilization of, aerial and ground surveillance technologies to enhance U.S. border security; and (2) work with Federal, State, local, and tribal agencies on law enforcement, emergency response, or security related responsibilities for the border area.
 
Requires the Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary, to develop and implement a plan to improve communications systems and enhance information sharing.
 
Directs the Secretary and the Secretary of Health and Human Services to execute a memorandum of understanding establishing a system to: (1) monitor hospitals along the border area for signs of potential health threats or bioterror attacks; and (2) ensure cooperation and information sharing.
 
Directs the Under Secretary to conduct a review of the Science and Technology Directorate's research and development needs and priorities.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
action_date: 2004-04-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (text of measure as introduced:  CR S3928-3930)
action_date: 2004-04-07
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3927-3928)
action_date: 2004-04-07
text: Introduced in Senate