HOMESTEAD Act of 2019

Bill: 116-hr-3868
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [D-FL-23]
Introduced: 2019-07-22
Policy area: Congress
Subjects: Border security and unlawful immigration

Congressional oversight

Congressional-executive branch relations

Detention of persons

Government buildings, facilities, and property

Members of Congress

Public-private cooperation
Latest action: action_date: 2019-08-12
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship.

Summaries:
action_date: 2019-07-22
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Help Oversee, Manage, and Evaluate Safe Treatment and Ensure Access without Delay Act of 2019 or the HOMESTEAD Act of 2019</b></p> <p>This bill prohibits a detention facility from (1) preventing a Member of Congress from entering for the purpose of conducting oversight, or (2) making any temporary modification that alters what a visiting Member may observe. Further, a Member is not required to provide notice of intent to enter a detention facility for the purpose of conducting oversight.</p> <p>A detention facility is any facility used to detain or house aliens and operated by or for the Department of Homeland Security or the Department of Health and Human Services.</p>

tv_txt: I 116th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3868 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 22, 2019 Ms. Wasserman Schultz (for herself, Ms. Dean , Ms. Mucarsel-Powell , Ms. Shalala , Mrs. Watson Coleman , Mr. Ryan , Ms. DeLauro , and Ms. Wilson of Florida ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary , and in addition to the Committee on Homeland Security , 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 A BILL To grant Members of Congress access to detention facilities, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Help Oversee, Manage, and Evaluate Safe Treatment and Ensure Access without Delay Act of 2019 or the HOMESTEAD Act of 2019 . 2. Mandatory access to detention facilities (a) In general A Member of Congress may not be prevented from entering any detention facility for the purpose of conducting oversight. (b) Temporary modification The head of a detention facility may not make any temporary modification at the detention facility in a manner that alters what is observed by a visiting Member of Congress. (c) No notice required A Member of Congress shall not be required to provide notice of intent to enter a detention facility for the purpose of conducting oversight. (d) Detention facility defined In this section, the term detention facility means any facility— (1) used to detain or otherwise house aliens; and (2) operated by or for— (A) the Department of Homeland Security (including any facility operated by a private contractor with the Department); or (B) the Department of Health and Human Services (including any facility operated by a private contractor with the Department).