H.R. 6280 — Introduced in House

I 118th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 6280 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES November 7, 2023Mr. Vasquez (for himself, Ms. Craig, Mr. Vargas, Ms. Salinas, and Ms. Caraveo) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, Ways and Means, and Transportation and Infrastructure, 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 authorize additional appropriations for certain U.S. Customs and Border Protection operations, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Smart Border Protection Act. 2. Additional funding for certain U.S. Customs and Border Protection operations (a) Hiring There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Homeland Security $300,000,000 to hire personnel for U.S. Customs and Border Protection operations at ports of entry, including agents, processing assistants, technicians, agriculture specialists, and import specialists. (b) Screening There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Homeland Security $200,000,000 to procure, deploy, install, maintain, and operate screening technology at U.S. Customs and Border Protection ports of entry, such as non-intrusive inspection technology to inspect and detect cargo for illicit materials, such as fentanyl. (c) Infrastructure There is authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator of General Services $70,000,000 for port of entry infrastructure, including port of entry building infrastructure improvements, vehicle inspection lane expansion or improvements, pedestrian pathway and lane expansion or improvements, and modernization within ports of entry. (d) Availability Amounts authorized to be appropriated for the purposes described in this section— (1) shall be expended by not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this section; and (2) are in addition to amounts otherwise made available to the Secretary of Homeland Security or to the Administrator of General Services.