[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8275 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8275

  To require the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish a public 
  blockchain-based system to securely store and share data related to 
                border security, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 7, 2024

 Ms. Mace (for herself and Mr. Donalds) introduced the following bill; 
        which was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To require the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish a public 
  blockchain-based system to securely store and share data related to 
                border security, 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 ``Border Security and Blockchain 
Technology Act''.

SEC. 2. BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY FOR BORDER APPREHENSIONS.

    (a) Implementation.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 18 months after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and 
        Border Protection shall select a public blockchain platform 
        that meets the agency's needs and requirements, as set forth in 
        the agency's budgets for fiscal year 2017-2021.
            (2) Smart contracts.--The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and 
        Border Protection may develop smart contracts that may be used 
        to securely store and share data related to border security.
            (3) Integration.--The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and 
        Border Protection shall integrate existing systems, such as 
        biometric data and travel documents, with the public blockchain 
        platform selected under paragraph (1).
            (4) Data verification and integrity.--The Commissioner of 
        U.S. Customs and Border Protection shall utilize blockchain 
        technology to ensure the integrity and immutability of data 
        related to border security operations, including biometric 
        data, visa information, and customs documentation.
            (5) Enhanced interoperability.--The Commissioner of U.S. 
        Customs and Border Protection shall facilitate secure and 
        efficient data exchange and interoperability between various 
        Federal and international border control and immigration 
        agencies, leveraging blockchain's decentralized nature to 
        enhance collaboration without compromising data security.
            (6) Data input.--The platform shall be designed to input 
        data in real-time from all relevant Federal Government 
        agencies, including U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. 
        Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
            (7) Applications.--The public blockchain platform shall be 
        utilized for the following applications to enhance border 
        security operations:
                    (A) Documentation verification.--The platform shall 
                be utilized to securely verify the authenticity of 
                travel and identity documents in real time, reducing 
                fraud and streamlining the entry process.
                    (B) Supply chain security.--The platform shall be 
                utilized to improve the tracking and management of 
                goods through customs, enhancing transparency and 
                efficiency in trade and commerce.
                    (C) Personnel management.--The platform shall be 
                utilized to manage border control personnel deployment 
                and operations securely and efficiently.
                    (D) Real-time data sharing.--The platform shall be 
                utilized to enable secure and instant data sharing 
                among border control agencies, law enforcement, and 
                other relevant government entities to enhance 
                situational awareness and response times.
            (8) Objectives.--The implementation of the public 
        blockchain platform aims to achieve the following objectives:
                    (A) Enhanced security.--The platform shall 
                trengthen the security of border operations by 
                leveraging blockchain's immutable and encrypted record-
                keeping capabilities.
                    (B) Improved efficiency.--The platform shall 
                streamline border control processes through faster 
                verification procedures and reduced manual data entry.
                    (C) Increased transparency.--The platform shall 
                provide a transparent and tamper-proof system for the 
                management and oversight of border security operations.
                    (D) Interagency collaboration.--The platform shall 
                facilitate a higher degree of collaboration and data 
                sharing among Federal agencies involved in border 
                security.
    (b) Oversight and Evaluation.--The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and 
Border Protection shall establish a system for oversight and evaluation 
of the implementation of public blockchain technology in border 
security, including the appointment of a project manager, regular 
reports to the relevant authorities and an independent evaluation of 
the project.
    (c) Security.--The platform shall be designed to ensure the 
security and confidentiality of sensitive information.
    (d) Report to Congress.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than six months after the 
        selection of a public blockchain platform under subsection 
        (a)(1), the Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit to 
        Congress a report on the implementation of the platform, 
        including a description of the platform's capabilities and any 
        challenges encountered during implementation.
            (2) Annual report.--Not later than one year after the 
        submission of the report required under paragraph (1) and 
        annually thereafter, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall 
        submit to Congress a report on the ongoing operation and 
        maintenance of the platform.
    (e) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Blockchain.--The term ``blockchain'' means a 
        distributed ledger technology that uses cryptography to secure 
        and validate transactions and data.
            (2) Border apprehensions.--The term ``border 
        apprehensions'' means the arrest and detainment of individuals 
        by Federal law enforcement officials for immigration violations 
        at or near the United States border.
            (3) Border control agencies.--The term ``border control 
        agencies'' means U.S. Customs and Border Protection and any 
        other Government agencies the Secretary of Homeland Security 
        determines is involved in border security.
            (4) Smart contract.--The term ``smart contract'' means a 
        self-executing contract with the terms of the agreement written 
        into lines of code.
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