[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4284 Introduced in House (IH)]







109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4284

To direct the Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security 
  to conduct reviews of certain contract actions by the Department of 
        Homeland Security for the new Secure Border Initiative.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            November 9, 2005

Mr. Rogers of Alabama (for himself, Mr. King of New York, Mr. Thompson 
 of Mississippi, Mr. McCaul of Texas, Mr. Pearce, Mr. Simmons, and Mr. 
    Shays) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Homeland Security

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To direct the Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security 
  to conduct reviews of certain contract actions by the Department of 
        Homeland Security for the new Secure Border Initiative.

    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 Border Initiative 
Accountability Act of 2005''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

     The Congress finds the following:
            (1) An urgent need exists for the installation of 
        additional surveillance equipment, including cameras and ground 
        sensors, to secure the Nation's borders.
            (2) In 1998, the legacy Immigration and Naturalization 
        Service initiated the Integrated Surveillance Intelligence 
        System, which included the installation of cameras and ground 
        sensors to monitor targeted expanses of the Nation's borders.
            (3) In 1999, the Immigration and Naturalization Service 
        awarded a $2,000,000 contract for the Integrated Surveillance 
        Intelligence System, which expanded to $200,000,000 the 
        following year.
            (4) In December 2004, the General Services Administration 
        Office of Inspector General released an audit of part of the 
        Integrated Surveillance Intelligence System, which revealed a 
        disturbing lack of management control over the project's 
        procurement and contracting practices. The audit found that 
        extensive funds were paid for work that was poor, incomplete, 
        or never delivered to the Federal Government.
            (5) The Subcommittee on Management, Integration, and 
        Oversight of the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of 
        Representatives held a hearing on June 16, 2005, regarding the 
        mismanagement of the Integrated Surveillance Intelligence 
        System. Disturbing testimony was received regarding numerous 
        improper task orders and contract awards, involving millions of 
        dollars, that failed to comply with procurement laws and 
        regulations.
            (6) The Secretary of Homeland Security announced on 
        November 2, 2005, the comprehensive Secure Border Initiative, 
        which will significantly expand the number of cameras and other 
        surveillance equipment that must be effectively integrated with 
        existing technologies that currently are deployed along the 
        Nation's borders.
            (7) It is essential that the new Secure Border Initiative 
        include rigorous financial and management controls, to ensure 
        the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of this new program that 
        will detect illegal aliens, drug smugglers, and terrorists who 
        cross the Nation's borders illegally, and not repeat the 
        mistakes exhibited in the Integrated Surveillance Intelligence 
        System.

SEC. 3. INSPECTOR GENERAL REVIEWS.

    (a) In General.--The Inspector General of the Department of 
Homeland Security shall review each contract action related to the 
Department's Secure Border Initiative having a value greater than 
$20,000,000, to determine whether such action fully complies with 
applicable cost requirements, performance objectives, program 
milestones, and timelines.
    (b) Schedule for Reviews.--The Inspector General shall complete a 
review under section (a) with respect to a contract action--
            (1) within 60 days after the date of the initiation of the 
        action; and
            (2) upon the conclusion of performance of the contract.
    (c) Report by Inspector General.--Upon completion of each review 
required under subsection (a), the Inspector General shall submit to 
the Secretary of Homeland Security a report containing the findings of 
the review, including findings regarding any cost overruns, significant 
delays in contract execution, lack of rigorous departmental contract 
management, insufficient departmental financial oversight, or other 
indicators of a high risk contract.
    (d) Report by Secretary.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall 
report to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
Affairs of the Senate within 30 days after receipt of each report 
required under subsection (c) on the findings of the report and the 
steps the Secretary has taken, or plans to take, to address the 
problems found in the review that is the subject of the report under 
subsection (c).
                                 <all>