,i #aaeth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #didj ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,february #f1 #bjah,mr4 ,vela 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,thompson of ,mississippi1 ,mr4 ,payne1 ,ms4 ,barragn1 ,mrs4 ,demings1 ,mr4 ,correa1 ,ms4 ,jackson ,lee1 and ,miss ,rice of ,new ,york7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,homeland ,security1 and in addition to the ,committees on ,ways and ,means1 and ,agriculture1 for a period to be subsequently determined by the ,speaker1 in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned ,a ,,bill ,to increase the number of ,u4,s4 ,customs and ,border ,protection officers and support staff1 to require reports that identify staffing1 infrastructure1 and equipment needed to enhance security at ports of entry1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,border and ,port ,security ,act4 #b4 ,additional u4s4 customs and border protection personnel 7a7 ,officers ,the ,commissioner of ,u4,s4 ,customs and ,border ,protection shall every fiscal year hire1 train1 and assign not fewer than #ejj new officers above the level as of ,september #cj of the immediately preceding fiscal year until the total number of officers equals the requirements identified each year in the ,workload ,staffing ,model developed by the ,commissioner4 7b7 ,agricultural specialists ,the ,commissioner of ,u4,s4 ,customs and ,border ,protection shall every fiscal year hire1 train1 and assign not fewer than #ajj new agricultural specialists above the level as of ,september #cj of the immediately preceding fiscal year until the total number of officers equals the requirements identified each year in the ,agriculture ,resource ,allocation ,model developed by the ,commissioner4 7c7 ,investigators ,the ,commissioner of ,u4,s4 ,customs and ,border ,protection shall every fiscal year hire1 train1 and assign #cj new full-time investigators within the ,office of ,professional ,responsibility of ,u4,s4 ,customs and ,border ,protection until the total number of investigators enables the ,office to fulfill its mission proportionate to the number of new personnel hired in accordance with subsections 7a7 and 7b74 7d7 ,support staff ,the ,commissioner of ,u4,s4 ,customs and ,border ,protection is authorized to hire1 train1 and assign support staff1 including technicians1 to perform non-law enforcement administrative functions to support the new officers hired pursuant to subsection 7a74 7e7 ,traffic forecasts ,in calculating the number of officers needed at each land1 air1 and maritime port of entry through the ,workload ,staffing ,model1 the ,office of ,field ,operations of ,u4,s4 ,customs and ,border ,protection shall-- 7#a7 rely on data collected regarding the inspections and other activities conducted at each such port of entry2 and 7#b7 consider volume from seasonal surges1 other projected changes in commercial and passenger volumes1 the most current commercial forecasts1 and other relevant information4 7f7 ,amendment ,subparagraph 7,a7 of section #daa7;g77#e7 of the ,homeland ,security ,act of #bjjb 7#f ,u4,s4,c4 #baa7;g77#e77 is amended-- 7#a7 by striking model and inserting models2 7#b7 by inserting agricultural specialists1 before and support personnel2 and 7#c7 by inserting before the period at the end the following3 1 and information concerning the progress made toward meeting officer1 agriculture specialist1 and support staff hiring targets1 while accounting for attrition4 7g7 ,,gao report ,if by ,september #cj1 #bjbj1 the ,commissioner of ,u4,s4 ,customs and ,border ,protection has not hired at least #ejj additional officers authorized under subsection 7a7 or at least #ej additional agriculture specialists authorized under subsection 7b71 and in any subsequent fiscal year in which the staffing levels specified in the ,workload ,staffing ,model or ,agriculture ,resource ,allocation ,model for the ,office of ,field ,operations have not been achieved1 the ,comptroller ,general of the ,united ,states shall-- 7#a7 conduct a review of ,u4,s4 ,customs and ,border ,protection hiring policies and processes to identify factors contributing to such levels not being achieved and any other issues related to hiring by ,u4,s4 ,customs and ,border ,protection2 7#b7 consider attrition levels within the ,office of ,field ,operations to identify associated factors contributing to attrition within the workforce of such ,office2 and 7#c7 submit to the ,committee on ,homeland ,security of the ,house of ,representatives and the ,committee on ,homeland ,security and ,governmental ,affairs of the ,senate a report that describes the results of the review and consideration under paragraphs 7#a7 and 7#b71 respectively1 and that contains recommendations to enhance the likelihood of achieving such staffing levels4 #c4 ,ports of entry infrastructure enhancement report ,not later than #ij days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,commissioner of ,u4,s4 ,customs and ,border ,protection shall submit to the ,committee on ,homeland ,security of the ,house of ,representatives and the ,committee on ,homeland ,security and ,governmental ,affairs of the ,senate a report that identifies-- 7#a7 infrastructure improvements at ports of entry that would enhance the ability of ,u4,s4 ,customs and ,border ,protection officers to detect1 interdict1 disrupt1 and prevent fentanyl1 other synthetic opioids1 and other narcotics and psychoactive substances and associated contraband from entering the ,united ,states1 including a description of circumstances in which effective technology in use at certain ports of entry cannot be implemented at other ports of entry2 7#b7 detection equipment that would improve the ability of such officers to identify such drugs and other dangers that are being illegally transported into the ,united ,states2 and 7#c7 safety equipment that would protect such officers from accidental exposure to such drugs or other dangers associated with the inspection of potential drug traffickers4 #d4 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this ,act #hb1gge1jjj in fiscal year #bjah and #ic1jie1jjj for each of the fiscal years #bjai through #bjbd4