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I
116TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 85
To establish a separate account in the Treasury to hold deposits to be
used to secure the southern border of the United States, and for other
purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY 3, 2019
Mr. BIGGS (for himself, Mr. BROOKS of Alabama, Mr. GOHMERT, Mr.
DESJARLAIS, Mr. BUCK, Mr. DUNCAN, Mr. KING of Iowa, and Mr.
GAETZ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committees on
Ways and Means, the Judiciary, Foreign Affairs, Financial Services,
Education and Labor, and Appropriations, for a period to be subse-
quently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To establish a separate account in the Treasury to hold
deposits to be used to secure the southern border 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 ‘‘Fund and Complete
4
the Border Wall Act’’.
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SEC. 2. BORDER WALL TRUST FUND.
1
(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF FUND.—At the end of sub-
2
chapter III of chapter 33 of title 31, United States Code,
3
insert the following:
4
‘‘§ 3344. Secure the Southern Border Fund.
5
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 60 days after the
6
date of enactment of this section, the Secretary of the
7
Treasury shall establish an account in the Treasury of the
8
United States, to be known as the ‘Secure the Southern
9
Border Fund’, into which funds shall be deposited in ac-
10
cordance with the Fund and Complete the Border Wall
11
Act and the amendments made by that Act.
12
‘‘(b) APPROPRIATION.—Funds deposited in the Se-
13
cure the Southern Border Fund shall be available until
14
expended. Such funds are authorized to be appropriated,
15
and are appropriated, to the Secretary of Homeland Secu-
16
rity only—
17
‘‘(1) to plan, design, construct, or maintain a
18
barrier along the international border between the
19
United States and Mexico; and
20
‘‘(2) to purchase and maintain necessary vehi-
21
cles and equipment for U.S. Border Patrol agents.
22
‘‘(c) LIMITATION.—Not more than 5 percent of the
23
funds deposited in the Secure the Southern Border Fund
24
may be used for the purpose described in subsection
25
(b)(2).’’.
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•HR 85 IH
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents
1
for chapter 33 of title 31, United States Code, is amended
2
by inserting at the end the following:
3
‘‘3344. Secure the Southern Border Fund.’’.
SEC. 3. BORDER CROSSING ACCOUNTABILITY AND SECU-
4
RITY.
5
(a) ESTIMATION
OF ANNUAL ILLEGAL BORDER
6
CROSSINGS.—Beginning with the first fiscal year that be-
7
gins after the date of the enactment of this Act, not later
8
than 30 days after the end of each fiscal year, the Sec-
9
retary of Homeland Security shall determine and report
10
to the Secretary of State and the Committees on the Judi-
11
ciary of the House of Representatives and of the Senate—
12
(1) the number of apprehensions that occurred
13
during such fiscal year of aliens who entered the
14
United States by illegally crossing the international
15
land border between the United States and Mexico;
16
and
17
(2) the nationality of aliens described in para-
18
graph (1).
19
(b) REDUCTION OF FOREIGN ASSISTANCE.—
20
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided under
21
paragraph (2), the Secretary of State shall propor-
22
tionately reduce the amount of Federal financial as-
23
sistance provided to a foreign state for the fiscal
24
year in which a report under subsection (a) is made
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•HR 85 IH
by a total of $2,000 for each alien described in such
1
report who is a citizen or national of that country.
2
(2) EXCEPTION.—Notwithstanding paragraph
3
(1), the Secretary of State may opt not to reduce
4
the amounts appropriated for the Government of
5
Mexico from the International Military Education
6
and Training Fund, the International Narcotics
7
Control and Law Enforcement Fund, and the fund
8
to carry out nonproliferation, anti-terrorism, de-
9
mining, and related programs and activities.
10
(c) TRANSFER OF FUNDS TO SECURE THE SOUTH-
11
ERN BORDER FUND.—The Secretary of State, in con-
12
sultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security and the
13
Secretary of the Treasury, shall transfer funds described
14
in subsection (b) into the Secure the Southern Border
15
Fund established by the amendment made by section 2
16
of this Act.
17
SEC. 4. FEES FOR CERTAIN REMITTANCE TRANSFERS.
18
Section 920 of the Electronic Fund Transfer Act (re-
19
lating to remittance transfers) (15 U.S.C. 1693o–1) is
20
amended—
21
(1) by redesignating subsection (g) as sub-
22
section (h); and
23
(2) by inserting after subsection (f) the fol-
24
lowing:
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•HR 85 IH
‘‘(g) SECURE
THE
SOUTHERN
BORDER
FUND
1
FEE.—
2
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—If the designated recipient
3
of a remittance transfer is located outside of the
4
United States, a remittance transfer provider shall
5
collect from the sender of such remittance transfer
6
a remittance fee equal to 5 percent of the United
7
States dollar amount to be transferred.
8
‘‘(2) TRANSFER OF FUNDS.—Not later than 90
9
days after the date of enactment of this subsection,
10
the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with
11
the Bureau and remittance transfer providers, shall
12
develop and make available a system for remittance
13
transfer providers to submit the remittance fees col-
14
lected in accordance with paragraph (1) to the Se-
15
cure the Southern Border Fund established under
16
section 3344 of title 31, United States Code.
17
‘‘(3) PENALTIES.—
18
‘‘(A) Whoever, with the intent to evade a
19
remittance fee to be collected in accordance
20
with this subsection, and who has knowledge
21
that, at the time of a remittance transfer, the
22
value of the funds involved in the transfer will
23
be further transferred to a recipient located
24
outside of the United States, requests or facili-
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•HR 85 IH
tates such remittance transfer to a recipient lo-
1
cated outside of the United States shall be sub-
2
ject to a penalty of not more than $500,000 or
3
twice the value of the funds involved in the re-
4
mittance transfer, whichever is greater, or im-
5
prisonment for not more than 20 years, or both.
6
‘‘(B) Any foreign country that, in the joint
7
determination of the Secretary of Homeland Se-
8
curity, the Secretary of the Treasury, and the
9
Secretary of State, aids or harbors an indi-
10
vidual conspiring to avoid the fee collected in
11
accordance with this subsection shall be ineli-
12
gible to receive foreign assistance and to par-
13
ticipate in the visa waiver program or any other
14
programs, at the discretion of the Secretaries
15
described in this subparagraph.’’.
16
SEC. 5. FEES FOR FORM I–94.
17
(a) FEE INCREASE.—The Secretary of Homeland Se-
18
curity shall increase the fee collected for services per-
19
formed in processing U.S. Customs and Border Protection
20
Form I–94, Arrival/Departure Record, from $6 to $25.
21
(b) DISPOSITION OF FEES COLLECTED.—Notwith-
22
standing any other provision of law, including section
23
286(q) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.
24
1356(q)), all fees collected for services performed in proc-
25
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•HR 85 IH
essing U.S. Customs and Border Protection Form I–94
1
shall be allocated as follows:
2
(1) $6 shall be deposited in the Land Border
3
Inspection Fee Account and used in accordance with
4
such section 286(q).
5
(2) To the extent provided in advance in appro-
6
priations Acts, $10 shall be used for salaries for
7
U.S. Border Patrol agents.
8
(3) $9 shall be deposited in the Secure the
9
Southern Border Fund established by the amend-
10
ment made by section 2 of this Act.
11
SEC. 6. CONSTRUCTION OF BORDER WALL.
12
(a) IMPROVEMENT OF BARRIERS AT BORDER.—Sec-
13
tion 102 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immi-
14
grant Responsibility Act of 1996 (Division C of Public
15
Law 104–208; 8 U.S.C. 1103 note) is amended—
16
(1) by amending subsection (a) to read as fol-
17
lows:
18
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than December 31,
19
2019, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall take such
20
actions as may be necessary (including the removal of ob-
21
stacles to detection of illegal entrants) to design, test, con-
22
struct, and install physical barriers, roads, and technology
23
along the international land border between the United
24
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•HR 85 IH
States and Mexico to prevent illegal crossings in all
1
areas.’’;
2
(2) in subsection (b)—
3
(A) in paragraph (1)—
4
(i) in the paragraph heading, by strik-
5
ing ‘‘ADDITIONAL FENCING’’ and inserting
6
‘‘FENCING’’;
7
(ii) by striking subparagraph (A) and
8
inserting the following:
9
‘‘(A) PHYSICAL
BARRIERS.—In carrying
10
out subsection (a), the Secretary of Homeland
11
Security shall construct physical barriers, in-
12
cluding secondary barriers in locations where
13
there is already a fence, along the international
14
land border between the United States and
15
Mexico that will prevent illegal entry and will
16
assist in gaining operational control of the bor-
17
der (as defined in section 2(b) of the Secure
18
Fence Act of 2006 (8 U.S.C. 1701 note; Public
19
Law 109–367)).’’;
20
(iii) by striking subparagraph (B) and
21
redesignating subparagraphs (C) and (D)
22
as subparagraphs (B) and (C), respec-
23
tively;
24
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•HR 85 IH
(iv) in subparagraph (B), as so redes-
1
ignated—
2
(I) by striking clause (i) and in-
3
serting the following:
4
‘‘(i) IN
GENERAL.—In carrying out
5
this section, the Secretary of Homeland
6
Security shall, before constructing physical
7
barriers in a specific area or region, con-
8
sult with the Secretary of the Interior, the
9
Secretary of Agriculture, appropriate Fed-
10
eral, State, local, and tribal governments,
11
and appropriate private property owners in
12
the United States to minimize the impact
13
on the environment, culture, commerce,
14
and quality of life for the communities and
15
residents located near the sites at which
16
such physical barriers are to be con-
17
structed. Nothing in this paragraph should
18
be construed to limit the Secretary of
19
Homeland Security’s authority to move
20
forward with construction after consulta-
21
tion.’’;
22
(II) by redesignating clause (ii)
23
as clause (iii); and
24
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•HR 85 IH
(III) by inserting after clause (i),
1
as amended, the following new clause:
2
‘‘(ii) NOTIFICATION.—Not later than
3
60 days after the consultation required
4
under clause (i), the Secretary of Home-
5
land Security shall notify the Committees
6
on the Judiciary of the House of Rep-
7
resentatives and of the Senate, the Com-
8
mittee on Homeland Security of the House
9
of Representatives, and the Committee on
10
Homeland Security and Governmental Af-
11
fairs of the Senate of the type of physical
12
barriers, tactical infrastructure, or tech-
13
nology the Secretary has determined is
14
most practical and effective to achieve situ-
15
ational awareness and operational control
16
in a specific area or region and the other
17
alternatives the Secretary considered be-
18
fore making such a determination.’’; and
19
(v) by striking subparagraph (C), as
20
so redesignated, and inserting the fol-
21
lowing:
22
‘‘(C) LIMITATION
ON
REQUIREMENTS.—
23
Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), nothing in
24
this paragraph shall require the Secretary of
25
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•HR 85 IH
Homeland Security to install fencing, physical
1
barriers, or roads, in a particular location along
2
the international border between the United
3
States and Mexico, if the Secretary determines
4
that there is a pre-existing geographical barrier
5
or pre-constructed, impenetrable wall. The Sec-
6
retary must notify the House and Senate Com-
7
mittees on the Judiciary, the House Committee
8
on Homeland Security, and the Senate Com-
9
mittee on Homeland Security and Govern-
10
mental Affairs of any decision not to install
11
fencing in accordance with this provision within
12
30 days of a determination being made.’’;
13
(B) in paragraph (2)—
14
(i) by striking ‘‘Attorney General’’
15
and inserting ‘‘Secretary of Homeland Se-
16
curity’’; and
17
(ii) by striking ‘‘fences’’ and inserting
18
‘‘physical barriers and roads’’; and
19
(C) in paragraph (3)—
20
(i) by striking ‘‘Attorney General’’
21
and inserting ‘‘Secretary of Homeland Se-
22
curity’’; and
23
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•HR 85 IH
(ii) by striking ‘‘additional fencing’’
1
and
inserting
‘‘physical
barriers
and
2
roads’’; and
3
(3) in subsection (c), by amending paragraph
4
(1) to read as follows:
5
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other
6
provision of law, the Secretary of Homeland Security
7
shall have the authority to waive all legal require-
8
ments the Secretary, in the Secretary’s sole discre-
9
tion, determines necessary to ensure the expeditious
10
design, testing, construction, installation, deploy-
11
ment, operation, and maintenance of physical bar-
12
riers, roads, and technology under this section. Any
13
such decision by the Secretary shall be effective
14
upon publication in the Federal Register.’’.
15
(b) ACHIEVING OPERATIONAL CONTROL
ON
THE
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