I 112th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2463 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 8, 2011 Mr. Hall (for himself, Mr. Quayle, Mr. Wu, Mr. Conaway, Mr. Smith of Texas, Mr. Sensenbrenner, Mr. Benishek, Mr. Barton of Texas, Mr. Hultgren, Mr. Neugebauer, and Mrs. Biggert) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, 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 provide for the next generation of border and maritime security technologies.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Border Security Technology Innovation Act of 2011.

2.

Source of appropriations

Appropriations for carrying out this Act and the amendments made by this Act shall be derived from authorizations of appropriations under the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 101 et seq.).

3.

Ensuring research activities of the Department of Homeland Security include appropriate concepts of operation

The Under Secretary for Science and Technology of the Department of Homeland Security (in this Act referred to as the Under Secretary) shall ensure that any Federal Government interagency or intra-agency agreement entered into by the Under Secretary to develop and transition new technology explicitly characterizes the requirements, expected use, and concept of operations for that technology, including— (1)the manpower needed to effectively operate the technology; (2)the expected training requirements; and (3)the expected operations and maintenance costs.

4.

Reauthorization of Homeland Security Science and Technology Advisory Committee

Section 311(j) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 191(j)) is amended by striking on December 31, 2008 and inserting on December 31, 2014.

5.

Report on basic research needs for border/maritime security

(a)

Assessment

The Comptroller General shall assess the basic science research needs in the border and maritime security domain. The assessment shall include consideration of the need for research on— (1)detection, tracking, and identification technologies for cargo and people; (2)personal protective equipment; (3)document security and authentication technologies; (4)nonradiological advanced screening technologies at ports of entry; and (5)technologies for real time tactical scene awareness. (b)

Report

Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall transmit to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report on the assessment under subsection (a).

6.

Incorporating unmanned aerial vehicles into border/maritime airspace

(a)

Research and development

Using amounts made available under section 307 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 187), the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Director of the Joint Planning and Development Office shall continue to research and develop technologies to permit routine operation of unmanned aerial vehicles, including autonomously piloted drones, within the national airspace for border and maritime security missions without any degradation of existing levels of safety for all national airspace system users. (b)

Pilot projects

The Secretary shall coordinate with the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration acting through the Director of the Joint Planning and Development Office to enter into pilot projects in designated test ranges in sparsely populated, low-density air traffic airspace to conduct research, experiments, and data collection in order to accelerate the safe integration of unmanned aircraft systems into the national airspace system as part of research activities of the Joint Planning and Development Office.

7.

Research program in tunnel detection

(a)

Research and development

Using amounts made available under section 307 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 187), the Under Secretary shall continue to research and develop technologies to permit detection of near surface voids, such as tunnels, with an emphasis on technologies with real time capability. (b)

Coordination

The Secretary of Homeland Security shall coordinate with other appropriate Federal agencies, including the Department of Defense and the United States Geological Survey, and ensure the integration of activities under subsection (a) with relevant efforts of such other agencies and the Department of Homeland Security’s Centers of Excellence Program.

8.

Research in anticounterfeit technologies

(a)

Research and development

Using amounts made available under section 307 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 187), the Under Secretary, in coordination with the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, shall continue a joint research and development program on anticounterfeit technologies and standards. The program may include development of counterfeit-resistant documentation, counterfeit-resistant devices, document validation technologies, and document identification standards. (b)

Consultation

In carrying out the program in subsection (a), the Under Secretary or his designee shall consult with other Federal agencies engaged in similar activities, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Department of State, the Department of Defense, and the Department of Justice. (c)

Report to congress

Not later than 12 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary and the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology shall provide to the Committee on Homeland Security and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs of the Senate, a report detailing the actions taken by the Under Secretary and the Director under this section.

9.

Study of mobile biometric technologies at the border

(a)

In general

Using amounts made available under section 307 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 187), the Under Secretary, in coordination with the Commissioner of United States Customs and Border Protection, shall continue research on the use of mobile biometric technology at the Nation's borders between the ports of entry, including— (1)conducting an analysis of existing mobile biometric technologies and the extent to which they can be deployed in Border Patrol agents' vehicles and used at the border, in terms of operability, reliability, cost, and overall benefit to border operations; (2)undertaking an examination of the potential end-user requirements of mobile biometric technology by the Border Patrol and other relevant end-users; (3)developing recommendations for addressing capability gaps in mobile biometric technologies; and (4)examining the feasibility of implementing a pilot program for use of mobile biometric technologies at the border. (b)

Consultation

In conducting the research program under subsection (a), the Under Secretary shall consult the National Institute of Standards and Technology, other appropriate Federal agencies, and appropriate Federal, State, and local law enforcement officials. (c)

Coordination

The Secretary shall ensure that the research program is coordinated with other biometric identification programs within the Department of Homeland Security. (d)

Report

Not later than 12 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary shall transmit to Congress a report on the findings of the research program conducted under this section.