[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 495 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 495

  To authorize additional resources to identify and eliminate illicit 
   sources of firearms smuggled into Mexico for use by violent drug 
           trafficking organizations, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 14, 2009

   Mr. Rodriguez (for himself, Mr. Teague, Mr. Engel, and Mr. Reyes) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, 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 resources to identify and eliminate illicit 
   sources of firearms smuggled into Mexico for use by violent drug 
           trafficking organizations, 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 ``Southwest Border Violence Reduction 
Act of 2009''.

SEC. 2. PROJECT GUNRUNNER.

    (a) In General.--The Attorney General shall dedicate and expand the 
resources provided for the Project Gunrunner initiative of the Bureau 
of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives to identify, investigate, 
and prosecute individuals involved in the trafficking of firearms 
across the international border between the United States and Mexico.
    (b) Activities.--In carrying out this section, the Attorney General 
shall--
            (1) assign additional agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, 
        Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives to the area of the United 
        States adjacent to the international border between the United 
        States and Mexico to support the expansion of Project Gunrunner 
        teams;
            (2) establish not fewer than 1 Project Gunrunner team in 
        each State along the international border between the United 
        States and Mexico; and
            (3) coordinate with the heads of other relevant Federal law 
        enforcement agencies and State and local law enforcement 
        agencies to address firearms trafficking in a comprehensive 
        manner.
    (c) Additional Staff.--The Attorney General may hire Bureau of 
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives agents for, and otherwise 
expend additional resources needed to adequately support, Project 
Gunrunner.
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2010 and 2011 to 
carry out this section.

SEC. 3. ENHANCED INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION.

    (a) In General.--The Attorney General, in cooperation with the 
Secretary of State, shall--
            (1) assign agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, 
        Firearms, and Explosives to the United States mission in 
        Mexico, to work with Mexican law enforcement agencies in 
        conducting investigations relating to firearms trafficking and 
        other criminal enterprises;
            (2) provide the equipment and technological resources 
        necessary to support investigations and to trace firearms 
        recovered in Mexico; and
            (3) support the training of Mexican law enforcement 
        officers in serial number restoration techniques, canine 
        explosive detection, and antitrafficking tactics.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated $9,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2010 and 2011 to carry 
out this section.
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