[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4987 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4987

  To require construction of fencing and security improvements in the 
       border area from the Pacific Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 16, 2008

  Mr. Jones of North Carolina (for himself and Mr. King of New York) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                           Homeland Security

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To require construction of fencing and security improvements in the 
       border area from the Pacific Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico.

    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 ``Fence By Date Certain Act''.

SEC. 2. CONSTRUCTION OF FENCING AND SECURITY IMPROVEMENTS IN BORDER 
              AREA FROM PACIFIC OCEAN TO GULF OF MEXICO.

    (a) In General.--Section 102(b)(1) of the Illegal Immigration 
Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-208; 8 
U.S.C. 1103 note) is amended to read as follows:
            ``(1) Security features.--
                    ``(A) Reinforced fencing.--In carrying out 
                subsection (a), the Secretary of Homeland Security 
                shall ensure construction of at least 2 layers of 
                reinforced fencing, and the installation of additional 
                physical barriers, roads, lighting, cameras, and 
                sensors--
                            ``(i) extending from 10 miles west of the 
                        Tecate, California, port of entry to 10 miles 
                        east of the Tecate, California, port of entry;
                            ``(ii) extending from 10 miles west of the 
                        Calexico, California, port of entry to 5 miles 
                        east of the Douglas, Arizona, port of entry;
                            ``(iii) extending from 5 miles west of the 
                        Columbus, New Mexico, port of entry to 10 miles 
                        east of El Paso, Texas;
                            ``(iv) extending from 5 miles northwest of 
                        the Del Rio, Texas, port of entry to 5 miles 
                        southeast of the Eagle Pass, Texas, port of 
                        entry; and
                            ``(v) extending 15 miles northwest of the 
                        Laredo, Texas, port of entry to the 
                        Brownsville, Texas, port of entry.
                    ``(B) Priority areas.--With respect to the border 
                described--
                            ``(i) in subparagraph (A)(ii), the 
                        Secretary shall ensure that fence construction 
                        is completed by May 30, 2008; and
                            ``(ii) in subparagraph (A)(v), the 
                        Secretary shall ensure that fence construction 
                        from 15 miles northwest of the Laredo, Texas, 
                        port of entry to 15 southeast of the Laredo, 
                        Texas, port of entry is completed by December 
                        31, 2008.
                    ``(C) Additional areas.--With respect to the duties 
                described in subparagraph (A) that are not otherwise 
                assigned a deadline under subparagraph (B), the 
                Secretary shall ensure that such duties are completed 
                by June 30, 2009.
                    ``(D) Exception.--If the topography of a specific 
                area has an elevation grade that exceeds 10 percent, 
                the Secretary may use other means to secure such area, 
                including the use of surveillance and barrier tools.''.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out the amendment 
made by subsection (a).
    (c) Repeals.--Subsection (b) of section 564 of division E of the 
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008 (Public Law 110-161) is repealed. 
The amendment made by subsection (a)(2)(A) of such section is repealed.
                                 <all>