Rapid Response Border Protection Act of 2005

Bill: 109-hr-4044
Sponsor: Rep. Jackson-Lee, Sheila [D-TX-18]
Introduced: 2005-10-07 in the House
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Admission of nonimmigrants
Agriculture and Food
Agriculture in foreign trade
Airports
Aliens
Armed Forces and National Security
Arrest
Awards, medals, prizes
Boats and boating
Border patrols
Boundaries
Civil service retirement
Clothing
Commemorations
Computers
Crime and Law Enforcement
Criminal investigation
Criminal justice information
Customs administration
Data banks
Department of Homeland Security
Detention of persons
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Emergency Management
Emergency communication systems
Employee-management relations in government
Encryption
Equipment and supplies
Executive reorganization
Federal aid to education
Federal employees
Federal installations
Federal law enforcement officers
Federal office buildings
Federal officials
Federal-local relations
Federal-state relations
Fines (Penalties)
Firearms
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Fraud
Fringe benefits
Geographic information systems
Government Operations and Politics
Government aircraft
Government paperwork
Government procurement
Government publicity
Government vehicles
Helicopters
Higher education
Hours of labor
Housing and Community Development
Illegal aliens
Immigrants
Informers
International Affairs
Labor and Employment
Labor unions
Language and languages
Navigational aids
Night vision devices
Patrol aircraft
Patrol ships
Personnel management
Police communication systems
Police training
Prisons
Radio
Recruiting of employees
Relocation
Rescue work
Salaries
Scholarships
Science, Technology, Communications
Smuggling
Spanish language
Student loan funds
Transportation and Public Works
Visas
Witnesses

Summary:
action_date: 2005-10-07
text: 
Rapid Response Border Protection Act of 2005 - Authorizes the emergency deployment of Border Patrol agents to a requesting border state.
 
Sets forth provisions for Border Patrol acquisition and use of: (1) helicopters and power boats, (2) motor vehicles; (3) portable computers; (4) radio communications; (5) hand-held global positioning devices; (6) night vision equipment; and (7) body armor, uniform items, and weapons.
 
Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to: (1) provide for additional detention space for illegal aliens; (2) increase Border Patrol agents, airport and land border immigration inspectors, immigration enforcement officers, and fraud and document fraud investigators; (3) enhance Border Patrol training and operational facilities; (4) establish immigration, customs, and agriculture inspector occupations within the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection; (5) reestablish the Border Patrol anti-smuggling unit; (6) establish criminal investigator occupations within DHS; (7) increase Border Patrol agent and investigator pay; (8) require foreign language training for appropriate DHS employees; and (9) establish the Task Force on Fraudulent Immigration Documents.
 
Increases maximum employer-paid student loan amounts for Border Patrol agents.
 
Repeals the DHS human resources management system.
 
Redefines the term "law enforcement officer" under provisions of the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) and the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) to include: (1) federal employees not otherwise covered by such term whose duties include the investigation or apprehension of suspected or convicted individuals and who are authorized to carry a firearm; and (2) Internal Revenue Service (IRS) employees whose duties are primarily the collection of delinquent taxes and the securing of delinquent returns. 
 
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to establish within the S visa nonimmigrant classification (criminal or terrorist law enforcement assistance) a category for an alien: (1) who has reliable information about a commercial alien smuggling enterprise; (2) who is willing to supply or has supplied such information to a federal or state court; and (3) whose presence in the United States is essential to such investigation. Authorizes: (1) up to 400 annual entrants; and (2) status adjustment to permanent resident when needed to protect such individuals. 
 
Establishes a reward program to assist in eliminating immigration-related commercial document fraud operations. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-09-26
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H7439-7440, H7442-7443)
action_date: 2006-02-06
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security, and Claims.
action_date: 2005-10-07
text: Referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committees on Government Reform, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2005-10-07
text: Referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committees on Government Reform, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2005-10-07
text: Referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committees on Government Reform, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2005-10-07
text: Referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committees on Government Reform, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2005-10-07
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2005-10-07
text: Introduced in House