HOMESTEAD Act of 2019

I 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 3868 To grant Members of Congress access to detention facilities, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JULY 22, 2019 Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (for herself, Ms. DEAN, Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL, Ms. SHALALA, Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN, Mr. RYAN, Ms. DELAURO, and Ms. WILSON of Florida) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee 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 grant Members of Congress access to detention facilities, 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 ‘‘Help Oversee, Manage, 4 and Evaluate Safe Treatment and Ensure Access without 5 Delay Act of 2019’’ or the ‘‘HOMESTEAD Act of 2019’’. 6 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:30 Jul 30, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3868.IH H3868 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 3868 IH SEC. 2. MANDATORY ACCESS TO DETENTION FACILITIES. 1 (a) IN GENERAL.—A Member of Congress may not 2 be prevented from entering any detention facility for the 3 purpose of conducting oversight. 4 (b) TEMPORARY MODIFICATION.—The head of a de- 5 tention facility may not make any temporary modification 6 at the detention facility in a manner that alters what is 7 observed by a visiting Member of Congress. 8 (c) NO NOTICE REQUIRED.—A Member of Congress 9 shall not be required to provide notice of intent to enter 10 a detention facility for the purpose of conducting over- 11 sight. 12 (d) DETENTION FACILITY DEFINED.—In this sec- 13 tion, the term ‘‘detention facility’’ means any facility— 14 (1) used to detain or otherwise house aliens; 15 and 16 (2) operated by or for— 17 (A) the Department of Homeland Security 18 (including any facility operated by a private 19 contractor with the Department); or 20 (B) the Department of Health and Human 21 Services (including any facility operated by a 22 private contractor with the Department). 23 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:27 Aug 01, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H3868.IH H3868 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS