[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1299 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1299

     To achieve operational control of and improve security at the 
    international land borders of the United States, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 31, 2011

   Mrs. Miller of Michigan (for herself, Mr. King of New York, Mrs. 
 Blackburn, Mr. Franks of Arizona, Mr. Burton of Indiana, Mr. Walberg, 
 Mr. Quayle, Mr. Rogers of Alabama, Mr. Long, Mr. McCaul, Mr. Walsh of 
Illinois, Mr. Poe of Texas, Mr. Bilirakis, Mr. Westmoreland, Mr. Duncan 
 of South Carolina, Mr. Canseco, Mr. Daniel E. Lungren of California, 
  Mr. Coffman of Colorado, and Mrs. McMorris Rodgers) introduced the 
    following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Homeland 
                                Security

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
     To achieve operational control of and improve security at the 
    international land borders of the United States, 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 Border Act of 2011''.

SEC. 2. STRATEGY TO ACHIEVE OPERATIONAL CONTROL OF THE BORDER.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
            (1) The border shared by the United States and Mexico, and 
        numerous Mexican towns in close proximity to that border, have 
        experienced a dramatic surge in crime and violence to ongoing 
        activity among rival Mexican drug cartels and criminal 
        smuggling organizations that employ predatory tactics to 
        realize their profits.
            (2) In August 2005, the States of New Mexico and Arizona 
        declared states of emergency in order to provide local law 
        enforcement immediate assistance in addressing criminal 
        activity along the Southwest border.
            (3) A recent Government Accountability Office report found 
        that only 44 percent of the Southwest border was under 
        operational control, and less than two percent of the Northern 
        border is under operational control.
            (4) It is the obligation of the Federal Government to 
        adequately secure the borders of the United States and prevent 
        the flow into the United States of undocumented persons, 
        unlawful drugs, and other contraband.
    (b) Strategy.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit 
to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs 
Committee of the Senate a comprehensive strategy for gaining 
operational control of the international borders of the United States 
within five years. The strategy shall include an analysis of the 
following:
            (1) Staffing requirements for all border security 
        functions.
            (2) Investment in infrastructure, including pedestrian 
        fencing, vehicle barriers, and roads.
            (3) The use of unmanned aerial vehicles, camera technology, 
        and sensors.
            (4) Cooperation agreements with international, State, 
        local, tribal, and other Federal law enforcement agencies that 
        have jurisdiction on the border.
            (5) Other means designed to detect, respond to, and 
        interdict cross-border unlawful activity and to reduce the 
        level of violence.
            (6) A schedule for implementing security measures, 
        including a prioritization for future investments.
            (7) Considerations of risks to border communities and law 
        enforcement.
    (c) Operational Control Defined.--In this Act, the term 
``operational control'' has the meaning given such term in section 2(b) 
of the Secure Fence Act of 2006 (8 U.S.C. 1701 note; Public Law 109-
367).
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