Securing Our Borders and Wilderness Act

I 117TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 760 To amend the Wilderness Act to authorize U.S. Customs and Border Protec- tion to conduct certain activities to secure the international land borders of the United States, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FEBRUARY 3, 2021 Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Com- mittee 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 amend the Wilderness Act to authorize U.S. Customs and Border Protection to conduct certain activities to secure the international land borders of the United States, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Securing Our Borders 4 and Wilderness Act’’. 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 18:12 Feb 23, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H760.IH H760 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 760 IH SEC. 2. U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION ACCESS 1 TO WILDERNESS AREAS. 2 Section 4(d) of the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1133) 3 is amended by adding at the end the following: 4 ‘‘(8) U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION 5 ACCESS.— 6 ‘‘(A) PERMISSIBLE ACTIVITIES.—Notwith- 7 standing any other provision of this Act, the 8 Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border 9 Protection may conduct the following activities 10 within a wilderness area for the purpose of se- 11 curing the international land borders of the 12 United States: 13 ‘‘(i) Access structures, installations, 14 and roads. 15 ‘‘(ii) Execute search and rescue oper- 16 ations. 17 ‘‘(iii) Use motor vehicles, motorboats, 18 and motorized equipment. 19 ‘‘(iv) Conduct patrols on foot and on 20 horseback. 21 ‘‘(v) Notwithstanding any other law or 22 regulation relating specifically to use of 23 aircraft in a wilderness area or in the air- 24 space above a wilderness area, use aircraft, 25 including approach, landing, and takeoff. 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 18:12 Feb 23, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H760.IH H760 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 760 IH ‘‘(vi) Deploy tactical infrastructure 1 and technology. 2 ‘‘(vii) Construct and maintain roads 3 and physical barriers. 4 ‘‘(B) PROTECTION OF WILDERNESS CHAR- 5 ACTER.—Any activity conducted by the Com- 6 missioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protec- 7 tion under subparagraph (A) shall be carried 8 out in a manner that, to the greatest extent 9 possible, protects the wilderness character of 10 the area.’’. 11 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 18:12 Feb 23, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H760.IH H760 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS