Safeguarding American Agriculture Act of 2012

Bill: 112-s-1673
Sponsor: Sen. Akaka, Daniel K. [D-HI]
Introduced: 2011-10-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Agricultural trade
Animal and plant health
Border security and unlawful immigration
Customs enforcement
Department of Homeland Security
Executive agency funding and structure
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management

Summary:
action_date: 2011-10-06
text: 
Safeguarding American Agriculture Act of 2011 - Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish the Office of Agriculture Inspection within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which shall be headed by the Assistant Commissioner for Agriculture Inspection.
 
Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS), through the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, to: (1) identify career paths for customs and border protection agriculture specialists, and (2) develop a plan to recruit and retain qualified customs and border protection agriculture specialists.
 
Authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) to establish an interagency rotation program.

action_date: 2012-11-26
text: 
Safeguarding American Agriculture Act of 2012 - Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) (Secretary), through the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), to: (1) identify career paths for agriculture specialists, including identifying the education, training, experience, and assignments necessary for CBP career progression; (2) publish information on such career paths; (3) develop a plan to improve agriculture specialist recruitment and retention; and (4) determine equipment and other resource needs.
 
Authorizes the Secretary and the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) to establish an interagency rotation program.
 
Directs the Secretary, through the Commissioner, to report to Congress regarding: (1) the implementation status of the action plans developed by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service-U.S. Customs and Border Protection Joint Task Force on Improved Agriculture Inspection, and (2) any additional legal authority the Secretary determines is necessary to carry out the agriculture inspection mission of DHS.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-11-26
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 553.
action_date: 2012-11-26
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Lieberman with an amendment in the nature of a substitute and an amendment to the title. With written report No. 112-240.
action_date: 2012-11-26
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Lieberman with an amendment in the nature of a substitute and an amendment to the title. With written report No. 112-240.
action_date: 2012-04-25
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2011-10-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR S6341-6342)
action_date: 2011-10-06
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6340-6341)
action_date: 2011-10-06
text: Introduced in Senate