[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 414 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 414

   To facilitate lawful international trade by increasing the daily 
 commercial hours of operation at designated ports of entry along the 
                southern border, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            February 7, 2019

Mr. Heinrich (for himself and Mr. Udall) introduced the following bill; 
     which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To facilitate lawful international trade by increasing the daily 
 commercial hours of operation at designated ports of entry along the 
                southern border, 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 ``Trade Facilitation and Security 
Enhancement Act''.

SEC. 2. EXTENDING PORTS OF ENTRY HOURS OF OPERATION FOR COMMERCIAL 
              VEHICLES.

    (a) Defined Term.--In this Act, the term ``10 busiest ports of 
entry'' means the 10 land ports of entry on the border between the 
United States and Mexico through which the highest total value of 
products and commodities passed through during 2017, as reported by the 
United States Census Bureau.
    (b) Minimum Hours of Operation.--Not later than 6 months after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security, 
in coordination with the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection, shall facilitate the safe, secure, and efficient cross 
border movement of people, motor vehicles, cargo, and lawful and 
legitimate trade travel by ensuring that commercial vehicles are 
permitted to enter into or exit from the United States through the 10 
busiest ports of entry for not fewer than--
            (1) 16 hours per day, Monday through Friday; and
            (2) 8 hours per weekend.

SEC. 3. RESOURCES; COORDINATION.

    (a) Resources.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall ensure 
that sufficient U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers and 
resources are dedicated to designated ports of entry--
            (1) to carry out the functions of commercial operations, 
        including accepting entries of merchandise, collecting duties, 
        and enforcing the customs, immigration, and trade laws of the 
        United States; and
            (2) to perform the functions described in paragraph (1) 
        during the hours set forth in section 2(b) beginning not later 
        than the date set forth in such section.
    (b) Coordination.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall 
coordinate with the appropriate officials of the Government of Mexico 
to implement this section.

SEC. 4. PORTS OF ENTRY MODERNIZATION.

    (a) In General.--The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection, in consultation with the Administrator of General Services, 
shall conduct a study of commercial operations at the 10 busiest ports 
of entry to identify any improvements that could be made to such ports 
of entry to facilitate lawful international trade, including 
redesigning, modernizing, and improving the efficiency of such ports of 
entry and expanding their hours of operation.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Commissioner shall submit a report to 
Congress that summarizes the results of the study conducting pursuant 
to subsection (a).

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary to carry out this Act.
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