Finish the Wall Act

I 117TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 2729 To immediately resume construction of the border wall system along the international border between the United States and Mexico to secure the border, enforce the rule of law, and expend appropriated funds as mandated by Congress, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES APRIL 21, 2021 Mr. HIGGINS of Louisiana (for himself, Mr. KATKO, Mr. MCCAUL, Mr. ROG- ERS of Alabama, Mr. BUDD, Mr. VAN DREW, Mr. PFLUGER, Mr. PERRY, Mr. BURCHETT, Mr. STEUBE, Ms. HERRELL, Mr. ROY, Mr. HICE of Georgia, Mr. BIGGS, Mr. GIMENEZ, Mr. BALDERSON, Mr. GREEN of Ten- nessee, Mr. ROSENDALE, Mr. CAWTHORN, Mr. GRAVES of Louisiana, Mr. NEHLS, Mr. BABIN, Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota, Mr. BISHOP of North Carolina, Mr. GUEST, Mr. C. SCOTT FRANKLIN of Florida, Mrs. MILLER of Illinois, Mrs. HARSHBARGER, Mr. BERGMAN, Mrs. CAMMACK, Mr. SESSIONS, Mr. MAST, Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia, Mr. MEIJER, Mr. YOUNG, Mr. MCCLINTOCK, Mr. NORMAN, Mr. JOHNSON of Lou- isiana, Mr. MOORE of Alabama, Mrs. WAGNER, Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS, Mr. CLYDE, Mr. JORDAN, Mr. WEBER of Texas, Mr. ALLEN, Mr. MUR- PHY of North Carolina, Mr. FLEISCHMANN, Mrs. BICE of Oklahoma, Mr. MANN, Mr. BAIRD, Mr. GARBARINO, Mr. FEENSTRA, and Mr. LATURNER) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com- mittee on Homeland Security A BILL To immediately resume construction of the border wall sys- tem along the international border between the United States and Mexico to secure the border, enforce the rule of law, and expend appropriated funds as mandated by Congress, and for other purposes. VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:36 Jun 04, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6652 E:\BILLS\H2729.IH H2729 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 2729 IH 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 ‘‘Finish the Wall Act’’. 4 SEC. 2. BORDER WALL SYSTEM CONSTRUCTION. 5 (a)(1) IMMEDIATELY RESUME BORDER WALL SYS- 6 TEM CONSTRUCTION.—Not later than 24 hours after the 7 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Home- 8 land Security shall resume all activities related to the con- 9 struction of the border barrier system (also known as, and 10 referred to in this Act as, the ‘‘border wall system’’) along 11 the international border between the United States and 12 Mexico that were underway or being planned for prior to 13 January 20, 2021. 14 (2) NO CANCELLATIONS.—The Secretary of Home- 15 land Security may not cancel any contract for activities 16 related to border wall system construction referred to in 17 paragraph (1) that was entered into on or before January 18 20, 2021. 19 (3) USE OF FUNDS.—The Secretary of Homeland 20 Security shall expend all funds appropriated or explicitly 21 obligated for border wall system construction referred to 22 in paragraph (1) that were appropriated or obligated, as 23 the case may be, beginning on October 1, 2016, to carry 24 out this Act. 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:36 Jun 04, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2729.IH H2729 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 2729 IH (4) IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR BORDER WALL 1 SYSTEM.—Not later than 30 days after the date of enact- 2 ment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall 3 submit to the appropriate congressional committees an im- 4 plementation plan to complete, by not later than Sep- 5 tember 30, 2024, border wall system construction referred 6 to in paragraph (1) and funded in accordance with para- 7 graph (3). 8 (b) PLAN TO COMPLETE TACTICAL INFRASTRUC- 9 TURE AND TECHNOLOGY ELEMENTS OF BORDER WALL 10 SYSTEM.—Not later than 90 days after the date of the 11 enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security 12 shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees 13 an implementation plan, including quarterly benchmarks 14 and cost estimates, for satisfying all requirements of bor- 15 der wall system construction referred to in subsection 16 (a)(1), including tactical infrastructure, technology, and 17 other elements as identified by the Department of Home- 18 land Security prior to January 20, 2021, through the ex- 19 penditure of funds appropriated or explicitly obligated, as 20 the case may be, for use beginning on October 1, 2016, 21 as well as any future funds appropriated by Congress. 22 (c) UPHOLD NEGOTIATED AGREEMENTS.—The Sec- 23 retary of Homeland Security shall ensure that all agree- 24 ments executed in writing between the Department of 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:36 Jun 04, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2729.IH H2729 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 2729 IH Homeland Security and private citizens, State, local, and 1 Tribal governments, and other stakeholders are honored 2 by the Department relating to current and future border 3 wall system construction as required by such agreements. 4 SEC. 3. DNA COLLECTION CONSISTENT WITH FEDERAL 5 LAW. 6 Not later than 14 days after the date of the enact- 7 ment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall 8 ensure and certify to the Committee on Homeland Secu- 9 rity of the House of Representatives and the Committee 10 on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the 11 Senate that U.S. Customs and Border Protection is fully 12 compliant with the DNA Fingerprint Act of 2005 at all 13 border facilities that process adults, including as part of 14 a family unit, in the custody of U.S. Customs and Border 15 Protection at the border. 16 SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS. 17 In this Act: 18 (1) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMIT- 19 TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com- 20 mittees’’ means the Committee on Homeland Secu- 21 rity and the Committee on Appropriations of the 22 House of Representatives and the Committee on 23 Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and 24 the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate. 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:36 Jun 04, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2729.IH H2729 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 5 •HR 2729 IH (2) TACTICAL INFRASTRUCTURE.—The term 1 ‘‘tactical infrastructure’’ includes boat ramps, access 2 gates, checkpoints, lighting, and roads associated 3 with a border wall system. 4 (3) TECHNOLOGY.—The term ‘‘technology’’ in- 5 cludes border surveillance and detection technology, 6 including linear ground detection systems, associated 7 with a border wall system. 8 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:36 Jun 04, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H2729.IH H2729 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS