[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1362 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1362

 To authorize the Port Passenger Accelerated Service System (PortPASS) 
as a permanent program for land border inspection under the Immigration 
              and Nationality Act, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 26, 2003

  Mrs. Boxer introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
               referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To authorize the Port Passenger Accelerated Service System (PortPASS) 
as a permanent program for land border inspection under the Immigration 
              and Nationality Act, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

     This Act may be cited as the ``Secure and Fast Entry at the Border 
Act of 2003'' or the ``SAFE Border Act of 2003'' .

SEC. 2. PORTPASS PROGRAM.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
            (1) Port Passenger Accelerated Service System (PortPASS) is 
        a group of pre-inspection technology programs used at ports of 
        entry to facilitate the speedy passage of low-risk travelers.
            (2) Ports of entry constitute vital links in our Nation's 
        economic and social life.
            (3) Southern and northern land border inspections combined 
        comprise over 80 percent of the total number of inspections 
        performed at all ports of entry.
            (4) PortPASS programs strengthen our borders without 
        impeding legitimate traffic needed for our Nation's economic 
        health.
            (5) Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid 
        Inspection (SENTRI), a PortPASS program, incorporates an 
        extensive screening process to move pre-screened, low-risk 
        travelers quickly and safely through the inspection process 
        while preserving border security. There are currently over 
        45,000 SENTRI participants.
            (6) PortPASS programs must expand their existing 
        infrastructure to meet border management issues. The success 
        and effectiveness of the programs demonstrate they are 
        deserving of increased resource allocation to meet growth and 
        security challenges.
    (b) Amendment to Immigration and Nationality Act.--Section 
286(q)(1)(A) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
1356(q)(1)(A)) is amended adding at the end the following:
    ``(iv) The Port Passenger Accelerated Service System (PortPASS) is 
authorized as a permanent land border inspection project under this 
subparagraph.''.
    (c) SENTRI Participation Approvals.--
            (1) Extension of validity of sentri approvals for 
        participation.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, and 
        beginning not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of 
        this Act, approval shall be issued for participation in the 
        Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection 
        (SENTRI), carried out by the Bureau of Citizenship and 
        Immigration Services within the Department of Homeland 
        Security, for non-commercial vehicle border crossers. Such 
        approval shall be valid for not less than 2 years.
            (2) Preclusion of certain persons.--Any person convicted of 
        a felony or under active criminal investigation shall be 
        prohibited from participating in the Secure Electronic Network 
        for Travelers Rapid Inspection (SENTRI) program.
    (d) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of the Congress that--
            (1) the Department of Homeland Security must ensure the 
        permanence of the Port Passenger Accelerated Service System 
        (PortPASS) in the transition of PortPASS from the Department of 
        Justice to the Department of Homeland Security;
            (2) all land PortPASS programs should utilize interoperable 
        technology to offer program enrollees increased access at all 
        participating dedicated commuter lanes;
            (3) the Secretary of Homeland Security should--
                    (A) appoint dedicated staff with appropriate 
                training and instruction to the Secure Electronic 
                Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection (SENTRI) 
                program;
                    (B) increase staffing under the SENTRI program for 
                actual inspections and necessary administrative tasks; 
                and
                    (C) allocate greater resources to the program to 
                facilitate and expedite the processing of applications 
                for SENTRI; and
            (4) the Secretary of Homeland Security should create a pre-
        inspection low-risk traveler dedicated commuter lane for 
        pedestrian land border crossers.
                                 <all>