Comprehensive Southern Border Strategy Act

I 118TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 3508 To require a comprehensive southern border strategy, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MAY 18, 2023 Mrs. KIM of California (for herself, Mr. GUEST, Mr. PAPPAS, and Ms. PEREZ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security A BILL To require a comprehensive southern border strategy, 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 ‘‘Comprehensive South- 4 ern Border Strategy Act’’. 5 SEC. 2. COMPREHENSIVE SOUTHERN BORDER STRATEGY. 6 (a) COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY.— 7 (1) REQUIREMENT.—Not later than 12 months 8 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec- 9 retary of Homeland Security shall submit to the 10 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:00 Jun 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3508.IH H3508 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 2 •HR 3508 IH Committee on Homeland Security of the House of 1 Representatives and the Committee on Homeland 2 Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a 3 comprehensive southern border strategy. 4 (2) CONTENTS.—The strategy submitted under 5 paragraph (1) shall include the following: 6 (A) A comprehensive overview of the cur- 7 rent security risks present along the southern 8 border, including relating to deficiencies along 9 the physical border, aerial and maritime 10 vulnerabilities, and the presence of illegal tun- 11 neling. 12 (B) A substantive review of the Depart- 13 ment of Homeland Security’s technology, tools, 14 or other devices used to combat the trafficking 15 of drugs across the southern border, with an 16 emphasis on fentanyl and related substances. 17 (C) A thorough outline of the Depart- 18 ment’s technology, tools, or other devices used 19 to combat human trafficking across the south- 20 ern border by international criminal organiza- 21 tions. 22 (D) A list of known physical barriers, tech- 23 nologies, tools, and other devices that can be 24 used to achieve and maintain situational aware- 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:00 Jun 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3508.IH H3508 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 3 •HR 3508 IH ness and operational control along the southern 1 border. 2 (E) A projected per mile cost estimate for 3 each physical barrier, technology, tool, and 4 other device included on the list required under 5 subparagraph (B). 6 (F) A detailed account of which type of 7 physical barrier, technology, tool, or other de- 8 vice the Department of Homeland Security be- 9 lieves is necessary to achieve and maintain situ- 10 ational awareness and operational control for 11 each linear mile of the southern border. 12 (G) An explanation for why such physical 13 barrier, technology, tool, or other device was 14 chosen to achieve and maintain situational 15 awareness and operational control for each lin- 16 ear mile of the southern border, including the 17 following: 18 (i) The methodology used to deter- 19 mine which type of physical barrier, tech- 20 nology, tool, or other device was chosen for 21 such linear mile. 22 (ii) An examination of existing man- 23 made and natural barriers for each linear 24 mile of the southern border. 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:00 Jun 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3508.IH H3508 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 4 •HR 3508 IH (iii) The information collected and 1 evaluated from the following: 2 (I) The appropriate U.S. Cus- 3 toms and Border Protection Sector 4 Chief. 5 (II) The appropriate State Gov- 6 ernor. 7 (III) Local law enforcement offi- 8 cials. 9 (IV) Private property owners. 10 (V) Other affected stakeholders. 11 (H) A per mile cost calculation for each 12 linear mile of the southern border given the 13 type of physical barrier, technology, tool, or 14 other device chosen to achieve and maintain 15 operational control for each linear mile. 16 (I) A cost justification for each time a 17 more expensive physical barrier, technology, 18 tool, or other device is chosen over a less expen- 19 sive option, as established by the per mile cost 20 estimates required in subparagraph (B). 21 (b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 22 (1) OPERATIONAL CONTROL.—The term ‘‘oper- 23 ational control’’ has the meaning given such term in 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:00 Jun 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3508.IH H3508 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 5 •HR 3508 IH section 2(b) of the Secure Fence Act of 2006 (8 1 U.S.C. 1701 note; Public Law 109–367). 2 (2) SITUATIONAL AWARENESS.—The term ‘‘sit- 3 uational awareness’’ has the meaning given the term 4 in section 1092(a)(7) of the National Defense Au- 5 thorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 6 114–328). 7 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:00 Jun 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H3508.IH H3508 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB