Protecting America’s Food and Agriculture Act of 2019 Public Law 116–122 Protecting America’s Food and Agriculture Act of 2019 122 116–122 Statute Compilation United States House of Representatives Office of the Legislative Counsel text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. GPO Statute Compilations USLM converter, version 20210527.1 2021-10-15 Protecting America’s Food and Agriculture Act of 2019 15660 116 2020-03-03 Protecting America’s Food and Agriculture Act of 2019 [(Public Law 116–122)] [This law has not been amended] [Currency: This publication is a compilation of the text of Public Law 116–122. It was last amended by the public law listed in the As Amended Through note above and below at the bottom of each page of the pdf version and reflects current law through the date of the enactment of the public law listed at https://www.govinfo.gov/app/collection/comps/] [Note: While this publication does not represent an official version of any Federal statute, substantial efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy of its contents. The official version of Federal law is found in the United States Statutes at Large and in the United States Code. The legal effect to be given to the Statutes at Large and the United States Code is established by statute (1 U.S.C. 112, 204).]
AN ACTTo increase the number of CBP Agriculture Specialists and support staff in the Office of Field Operations of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 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. [6 U.S.C. 211 note] SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the “Protecting America’s Food and Agriculture Act of 2019”.
SEC. 2. FINDING. Congress finds that— (1) it is in the national security interest of the United States to ensure that the Nation’s food supply is sufficiently protected; and (2) a vital part of such protection is the availability of adequate resources at the border to conduct inspections of incoming food and agricultural goods.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. In this Act: (1) Appropriate congressional committees.—The term “appropriate congressional committees” means— (A) the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate; (B) the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate; (C) the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives; and (D) the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives. (2) CBP.—The term “CBP” means U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
SEC. 4. ADDITIONAL U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION PERSONNEL. (a) CBP Agriculture Specialists.—The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection may hire, train, and assign 240 new CBP Agriculture Specialists above the current attrition level during every fiscal year until the total number of CBP Agriculture Specialists equals and sustains the requirements identified each year in the Agriculture Resource Allocation Model. (b) Mission and Operational Support Staff.— (1) In general.—The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection may hire, train, and assign support staff to support CBP Agriculture Specialists. (2) CBP agriculture technicians.—The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection may hire, train, and assign 200 new CBP Agriculture Technicians during each fiscal year until the total number of CBP Agriculture Technicians equals and sustains the requirements identified each year in the Mission and Operational Support Resource Allocation Model. (c) CBP Agriculture Canine Teams.—The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection may hire, train, and assign 20 new CBP agriculture canine teams during each of the first 3 fiscal years beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act. (d) Traffic Forecasts.—In calculating the number of CBP Agriculture Specialists needed at each port of entry through the Agriculture Resource Allocation Model, the Office of Field Operations shall— (1) rely on data collected regarding the inspections and other activities conducted at each such port of entry; and (2) consider volume from seasonal surges, other projected changes in commercial and passenger volumes, the most current commercial forecasts, and other relevant information. (e) Authorization of Appropriations.— (1) CBP agriculture specialists.—There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out subsection (a)— (A) $29,900,000 for fiscal year 2020; (B) $36,100,000 for fiscal year 2021; and (C) $40,500,000 for fiscal year 2022. (2) CBP agriculture technicians.—There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out subsection (b)— (A) $11,000,000 for fiscal year 2020; (B) $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2021; and (C) $38,000,000 for fiscal year 2022. (3) CBP agriculture canine teams.—There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out subsection (c)— (A) $3,500,000 for fiscal year 2020; (B) $7,400,000 for fiscal year 2021; and (C) $12,200,000 for fiscal year 2022. (4) Training.—There is authorized to be appropriated for training costs associated with the new CBP personnel and canine teams hired pursuant to subsections (a), (b), and (c) $6,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2020, 2021, and 2022.
SEC. 5. GAO STUDY, BRIEFING, AND REPORT. (a) Study.—The Comptroller General of the United States, after consultation with the appropriate congressional committees, shall conduct a review of the efforts of the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Agriculture, and other Federal agencies to address risks to the agricultural supply that analyzes— (1) interagency coordination and the distribution of responsibilities among Federal agencies with respect to the inspection of agricultural commodities entering the United States; (2) the effectiveness of such inspection responsibilities among Federal agencies; and (3) the training provided to, and working conditions of, CBP Agriculture Specialists. (b) Briefing.—Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall brief the appropriate congressional committees regarding the results of the study conducted pursuant to subsection (a). (c) Report.—Not later than 90 days after the briefing required under subsection (b), the Comptroller General shall complete the study required under subsection (a) and make the results of the study available to the public.