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II
117TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
S. 1514
To expedite detainee transport to border patrol processing facilities.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
APRIL 29, 2021
Mr. HEINRICH (for himself, Mr. CORNYN, and Ms. SINEMA) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
A BILL
To expedite detainee transport to border patrol processing
facilities.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
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This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Border Transportation
4
Efficiency Act’’.
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SEC. 2. COMMERCIAL DRIVER PROGRAM.
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(a) DEFINED TERM.—In this section, the term ‘‘re-
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mote border patrol station’’ means a U.S. Border Patrol
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station located in an area within the United States along
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the international border between the United States and
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Mexico that is not within an area defined and designated
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by the Bureau of the Census as an urbanized area.
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(b) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Commissioner of U.S.
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Customs and Border Protection shall establish a program
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to expedite detainee transport to border patrol processing
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facilities by ensuring, beginning not later than 1 year after
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the date of the enactment of this Act, that—
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(1) not fewer than 300 U.S. Border Patrol
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agents assigned to remote border patrol stations
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have a commercial driver’s license with a passenger
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endorsement for detainee transport;
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(2) in each of the El Paso, Laredo, Rio Grande
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Valley, San Diego, Yuma, and Tucson U.S. Border
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Patrol Sectors—
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(A) not fewer than 5 U.S. Border Patrol
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agents with a commercial driver’s license are
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available during every shift; and
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(B) not fewer than 5 buses are assigned to
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the sector; and
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(3) in each of the Big Bend, Del Rio, and El
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Centro U.S. Border Patrol Sectors—
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(A) not fewer than 2 U.S. Border Patrol
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agents with a commercial driver’s license are
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available during every shift; and
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(B) not fewer than 3 buses are assigned to
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the sector.
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(c) RELOCATION.—Buses assigned to specific U.S.
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Border Patrol sectors pursuant to subsection (b) may be
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relocated to other sectors in response to changing migra-
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tion patterns.
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(d) REDUCING WAIT TIMES AT REMOTE U.S. BOR-
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DER PATROL STATIONS.—The Commissioner of U.S. Cus-
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toms and Border Protection shall ensure that sufficient
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buses are available in each U.S. Border Patrol sector to
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avoid subjecting detainees to long wait times at remote
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border patrol stations.
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(e) USE OF OFFICIAL DUTY TIME.—A U.S. Border
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Patrol agent shall be credited with work time for the proc-
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ess of obtaining and maintaining a commercial driver’s li-
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cense under subsection (b).
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(f) REPORTS
TO
CONGRESS.—The Secretary of
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Homeland Security shall submit quarterly reports regard-
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ing the average length of detainees’ stay at U.S. Border
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Patrol stations to—
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(1) the Committee on Homeland Security and
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Governmental Affairs of the Senate; and
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(2) the Committee on Homeland Security of the
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House of Representatives.
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Æ
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