What This Bill Does
This bill directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to create a test program that hires military members who are leaving the armed forces to work as Border Patrol agents. The program will use the Department of Defense SkillBridge Program, which helps soldiers transition to civilian jobs, to train these former servicemembers.
Who It Affects
- The Department of Homeland Security
- The Department of Defense
- The Department of Veterans Affairs
- Military members preparing to leave active service
- Reserve members of the armed forces
- Veterans
- Spouses and dependents of military members and veterans
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Key Provisions
- The Secretary of Homeland Security must establish this pilot program within 180 days after the bill becomes law, working together with the Secretaries of Defense and Veterans Affairs (Sec. 2(a))
- The program will use the Department of Defense SkillBridge Program to train and hire transitioning servicemembers as Border Patrol agents (Sec. 2(a))
- The Secretary of Homeland Security must submit annual reports to Congress describing the number of participants, eligible applicants, and the types of military members involved in the program (Sec. 3)
- The pilot program will end five years after it is established (Sec. 4)
What Changes
A new pathway opens for military members leaving service to become Border Patrol agents through a specialized training and hiring program instead of the standard application process.
Important Definitions
- Transitioning servicemembers: military members leaving active service in the armed forces
- SkillBridge Program: a Department of Defense program that trains soldiers for civilian jobs
Effective Date
The pilot program must be established within 180 days after the bill becomes law (Sec. 2(a)).
II
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
S. 774
To direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish a pilot program
to hire transitioning servicemembers to be Border Patrol agents.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
MARCH 9, 2023
Mr. TESTER (for himself and Mr. LANKFORD) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish
a pilot program to hire transitioning servicemembers to
be Border Patrol agents.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
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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 ‘‘Veterans Border Pa-
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trol Training Act’’.
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SEC. 2. BORDER PATROL SKILLBRIDGE PILOT PROGRAM.
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(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 180 days after
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the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of
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Homeland Security, in collaboration with the Secretary of
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Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall estab-
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•S 774 IS
lish an interdepartmental pilot program through which the
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Department of Homeland Security shall use the Depart-
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ment of Defense SkillBridge Program to train and hire
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transitioning servicemembers as Border Patrol agents for
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U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
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(b) EMPLOYMENT SKILLS TRAINING.—In carrying
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out the pilot program established pursuant to subsection
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(a), the Secretary of Homeland Security, in collaboration
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with the Secretary of Defense, shall use the authorities
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available under section 1143 of title 10, United States
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Code, to train and facilitate the transition of members of
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the armed forces to service as Border Patrol agents.
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SEC. 3. ANNUAL REPORTS.
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Not later than 1 year after the pilot program is estab-
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lished pursuant to section 2(a), and annually thereafter
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until the date referred to in section 4, the Secretary of
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Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of
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Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall sub-
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mit a report to the Committee on Homeland Security and
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Governmental Affairs of the Senate, the Committee on
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Armed Services of the Senate, the Committee on Veterans’
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Affairs of the Senate, the Committee on Homeland Secu-
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rity of the House of Representatives, the Committee on
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Armed Services of the House of Representatives, and the
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•S 774 IS
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Rep-
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resentatives that includes for the reporting period—
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(1) the number of participants in the pilot pro-
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gram;
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(2) the number of eligible participants who ap-
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plied to be part of the pilot program; and
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(3) the number of pilot program participants
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who are—
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(A) members the Armed Forces;
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(B) reserve members of the Armed Forces;
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(C) commissioned officers or non-commis-
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sioned officers;
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(D) enlisted members of the Armed
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Forces;
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(E) veterans;
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(F) spouses of such members of the Armed
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Forces or veterans; and
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(G) dependents of such members of the
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Armed Forces or veterans.
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SEC. 4. SUNSET DATE.
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The pilot program established pursuant to section 2
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shall be terminated on the date that is 5 years after the
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date on which such program is established.
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Æ
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