[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 79 (Wednesday, May 30, 2012)]
[House]
[Pages H3243-H3246]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        JAIME ZAPATA BORDER ENFORCEMENT SECURITY TASK FORCE ACT

  Mr. KING of New York. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 915) to establish a Border Enforcement Security 
Task Force program to enhance border security by fostering coordinated 
efforts among Federal, State, and local border and law enforcement 
officials to protect United States border cities and communities from 
trans-national crime, including violence associated with drug 
trafficking, arms smuggling, illegal alien trafficking and smuggling, 
violence, and kidnapping along and across the international borders of 
the United States, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 915

       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 ``Jaime Zapata Border 
     Enforcement Security Task Force Act''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND DECLARATION OF PURPOSES.

       Congress finds the following:

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       (1) The Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) overriding 
     mission is to lead a unified national effort to protect the 
     United States. United States Immigration and Customs 
     Enforcement (ICE) is the largest investigative agency within 
     DHS and is charged with enforcing a wide array of laws, 
     including laws related to securing the border and combating 
     criminal smuggling.
       (2) Mexico's northern border with the United States has 
     experienced a dramatic surge in border crime and violence in 
     recent years due to intense competition between Mexican drug 
     cartels and criminal smuggling organizations that employ 
     predatory tactics to realize their profits.
       (3) Law enforcement agencies at the United States northern 
     border face similar challenges from transnational smuggling 
     organizations.
       (4) In response, DHS has partnered with Federal, State, 
     local, tribal, and foreign law enforcement counterparts to 
     create the Border Enforcement Security Task Force (BEST) 
     initiative as a comprehensive approach to addressing border 
     security threats. These multi-agency teams are designed to 
     increase information-sharing and collaboration among the 
     participating law enforcement agencies.
       (5) BEST teams incorporate personnel from ICE, United 
     States Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the Drug 
     Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, 
     Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATFE), the Federal Bureau 
     of Investigation (FBI), the United States Coast Guard (USCG), 
     and the U.S. Attorney's Office (USAO), along with other key 
     Federal, State and local law enforcement agencies.
       (6) Foreign law enforcement agencies include Mexico's 
     Secretaria de Seguridad Publica (SSP), the Canada Border 
     Services Agency (CBSA), the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), 
     and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).

     SEC. 3. BORDER ENFORCEMENT SECURITY TASK FORCE.

       (a) Establishment.--There is established in United States 
     Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) a program known as 
     a Border Enforcement Security Task Force (referred to as 
     ``BEST'').
       (b) Purpose.--The purpose of the BEST program is to 
     establish units to enhance border security by addressing and 
     reducing border security threats and violence by--
       (1) facilitating collaboration among Federal, State, local, 
     tribal, and foreign law enforcement agencies to execute 
     coordinated activities in furtherance of border security, and 
     homeland security; and
       (2) enhancing information-sharing, including the 
     dissemination of homeland security information among such 
     agencies.
       (c) Composition and Designation.--
       (1) Composition.--BEST units may be comprised of personnel 
     from--
       (A) United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement;
       (B) United States Customs and Border Protection;
       (C) the United States Coast Guard;
       (D) other Federal agencies, as appropriate;
       (E) appropriate State law enforcement agencies;
       (F) foreign law enforcement agencies, as appropriate;
       (G) local law enforcement agencies from affected border 
     cities and communities; and
       (H) appropriate tribal law enforcement agencies.
       (2) Designation.--The Secretary of Homeland Security, 
     acting through the Assistant Secretary for ICE, is authorized 
     to establish BEST units in jurisdictions where such units can 
     contribute to the BEST program's missions, as appropriate. 
     Prior to establishing a BEST unit, the Assistant Secretary 
     shall consider the following factors:
       (A) Whether the area where the BEST unit would be 
     established is significantly impacted by cross-border 
     threats.
       (B) The availability of Federal, State, local, tribal, and 
     foreign law enforcement resources to participate in the BEST 
     unit.
       (C) The extent to which border security threats are having 
     a significant harmful impact in the jurisdiction in which the 
     BEST unit is to be established, and other jurisdictions of 
     the country.
       (D) Whether or not an Integrated Border Enforcement Team 
     already exists in the area where the BEST unit would be 
     established.
       (d) Operation.--After making a designation under subsection 
     (c)(2), and in order to provide Federal assistance to the 
     area so designated, the Secretary of Homeland Security may--
       (1) obligate such sums as are appropriated for the BEST 
     program;
       (2) direct the assignment of Federal personnel to the BEST 
     program, subject to the approval of the head of the 
     department or agency that employs such personnel; and
       (3) take other actions to assist State, local, tribal, and 
     foreign jurisdictions to participate in the BEST program.
       (e) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
     establishment of the BEST program under subsection (a) and 
     annually thereafter, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall 
     submit to Congress a report on the effectiveness of the BEST 
     program in enhancing border security and reducing the drug 
     trafficking, arms smuggling, illegal alien trafficking and 
     smuggling, violence, and kidnapping along and across the 
     international borders of the United States as measured by 
     crime statistics, including violent deaths, incidents of 
     violence, and drug-related arrests.
       (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated to the Secretary of Homeland Security 
     $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2012 through 2016 to--
       (1) establish and operate the BEST program, including to 
     provide for operational, administrative, and technological 
     costs to Federal, State, local, tribal and foreign law 
     enforcement agencies participating in the BEST program; and
       (2) investigate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals 
     engaged in drug trafficking, arms smuggling, illegal alien 
     trafficking and smuggling, violence, and kidnapping along and 
     across the international borders of the United States.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. King) and the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Thompson) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.


                             General Leave

  Mr. KING of New York. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks and include any extraneous material on the bill under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. KING of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  There is probably no bill that is more meaningful to Members of 
Congress, particularly the gentleman from Texas, my good friend, Mr. 
Cuellar, than the Jaime Zapata Border Enforcement Security Task Force 
Act. This would authorize for the first time a task force, led by 
Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, known as Border Enforcement 
Security Task Force, or BEST teams. It is named after ICE Agent Jaime 
Zapata, who was killed in the line of duty while serving on a BEST team 
in Mexico in February 2011.
  I want to thank the sponsors of the legislation, Mr. Cuellar, the 
ranking member of the Border and Maritime Subcommittee, and Mr. McCaul 
of Texas, the chairman of the Oversight, Investigations, and Management 
Subcommittee, for their dedicated work on this bipartisan bill.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 915, the Jamie Zapata Border Enforcement Security 
Task Force Act, would authorize for the first time a task force led by 
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), known as Border Enforcement 
Security Task Forces, or BEST Teams.
  This legislation is named after the Immigration and Customs 
Enforcement agent, Jamie Zapata, who was killed in the line of duty 
while serving on a BEST team in Mexico in February 2011.
  I would like to thank the sponsors of this legislation, Mr. Cuellar 
of Texas, the Ranking Member of the Border and Maritime Subcommittee, 
and Mr. McCaul of Texas, the Chairman of the Oversight, Investigations, 
and Management Subcommittee, for their dedicated work on this 
bipartisan bill.
  The Department of Homeland Security's overriding mission is to lead a 
unified national effort to protect the United States. ICE is the 
largest investigative agency within DHS and is charged with enforcing a 
wide array of laws, including laws related to securing the border and 
combating criminal smuggling.
  BEST teams incorporate personnel from ICE, Customs and Border 
Protection, DEA, ATF, FBI, U.S. Coast Guard, as well as other Federal, 
state, local and foreign law enforcement agencies.
  These task forces focus on the identification, prioritization, and 
investigation of emerging and existing border security threats 
including transnational crime, violence associated with drug 
trafficking, arms smuggling, illegal alien trafficking, and kidnapping 
along the international borders of the United States.
  Since the inception of the BEST program, BEST teams have made over 
8,000 criminal arrests and 5,000 administrative arrests resulting in 
4,570 indictments and 3,936 convictions. BEST teams have also seized 
over 69,000 pounds of cocaine, 752,000 pounds of marijuana, 3,800 
pounds of methamphetamines, 3,000 vehicles, 13,000 weapons, and 
approximately $97 million in U.S. currency and monetary instruments.
  In addition, the bill includes language to address a potential 
duplication identified by the Government Accountability Office in its 
March 2011 report to ensure that BEST units do not overlap with other 
Integrated Law Enforcement task forces along the Northern Border.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as 
I may consume.
  I rise in strong support of H.R. 915, the Jaime Zapata Border 
Enforcement Security Task Force Act. H.R. 915 would, for the first 
time, statutorily authorize an important border security program, the 
BEST program.
  Under BEST, ICE partners with Federal, State, local, and foreign law 
enforcement counterparts to establish targeted, cross-agency teams to 
identify, disrupt, and dismantle criminal

[[Page H3245]]

organizations posing significant threats to the border security. 
Currently, the BEST programs has 31 teams located at our Nation's 
northern and southern borders, as well as at seaports and places as 
varied as Tucson, Arizona; Detroit, Michigan; the New York Seaport; and 
Mexico City, Mexico.
  To date, BEST units have initiated more than 6,800 cases, resulting 
in criminal and administrative arrests and the seizure of significant 
quantities of narcotics, weapons, ammunition, and currency.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the original 
sponsor of the legislation under consideration, the ranking member of 
the Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security, the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Cuellar).
  Mr. CUELLAR. I want to thank the ranking member for yielding this 
time to me.
  I'm pleased that the House is considering H.R. 915, the Jaime Zapata 
Border Enforcement Security Task Force, or BEST Act, a bipartisan bill 
by myself and Congressman Michael McCaul from Texas. I would like to 
thank my friend, Chairman King; my good friend, Ranking Member 
Thompson; and also Subcommittee Chairwoman Miller for their support of 
this bill, as this bill was unanimously reported out of the House 
Homeland Security Committee.
  As many of you know, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, 
Homeland Security Investigations, in partnership with U.S. Customs and 
Border Protection, as well as other Federal, State, local, and foreign 
law enforcement counterparts created the BEST initiative--in fact, my 
hometown of Laredo is the first one--which is a comprehensive approach 
to identifying, disrupting, and dismantling criminal organizations 
posing significant threats to border and maritime security.
  H.R. 915 would codify the BEST program by authorizing the Secretary 
of Homeland Security, acting through the director of ICE, to establish 
the BEST units to make sure that everybody works together and 
coordinates and communicates together to make sure that we fight crime.
  This bill authorizes $10 million per year for the program. And this 
bill, as the chairman said a few minutes ago, is named in the memory of 
Jaime Zapata, a Homeland Security Investigations special agent and BEST 
unit member who was killed in the line of duty in Mexico in February of 
2011. We are grateful for Special Agent Zapata's service to our Nation 
and for the exemplary work of his colleagues in support of homeland 
security.
  Currently, the BEST units are comprised of 750 members, representing 
over 100 law enforcement agencies working together. These BEST units 
are building an impressive record of success. And I'm asking now that 
we all support this particular bill.
  Again, I want to thank the chairman, the ranking member of the 
subcommittee, my friend Michael McCaul, and urge all Members to support 
this important bipartisan bill.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the 
gentlelady from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).
  Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Coming from Texas, I want to thank the 
gentleman from Texas, the ranking member of the subcommittee, for this 
legislation.
  I rise in support of H.R. 915. We have heard that there has been a 
constant intrusion of activity over the border, specifically dealing 
with drug cartels. We recognize that it is important to utilize the 
combination of resources, and fusion centers represent an excellent 
logistical use of that, as they have been in our urban centers. Let me 
support and salute the utilization of fusion centers because it is 
extremely important that we provide a safe and secure border in the 
United States and on border States.
  Mr. KING of New York. I have no further requests for time.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I ask support of H.R. 915. 
It's a good bill. I urge its adoption, and I yield back the balance of 
my time.
  Mr. KING of New York. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from 
Laredo, Mr. Cuellar, for introducing this bill and for his outstanding 
work on the committee, and also my good friend, Mr. McCaul, for their 
cosponsorship of the legislation.
  I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. McCaul. Mr. Speaker, as an original co-sponsor of the Jaime 
Zapata Border Enforcement Security Task Force Act, I rise today in 
favor of this important legislation. H.R. 915 strengthens our homeland 
security by codifying the authority to create Border Enforcement 
Security Task Force, BEST teams and giving the program the resources it 
needs.
  It is an unfortunate fact of life that for generations our border 
communities have been subjected to crime and violence at the hands of 
criminals, smugglers and drug cartels. Now with the terrible rise of 
violence that has occurred in Mexico over the past few years, this 
threat has never been greater. In response to these realities, the 
Department of Homeland Security created the Border Enforcement Security 
Task Force initiative as an innovative approach to combating the 
increasing threat of transnational crime.
  BEST operates by bringing together all of the federal, state and 
local law enforcement agencies that share the responsibility of 
securing our borders. Under the auspices of U.S. Immigration and 
Customs Enforcement (ICE), the BEST program enables the unique 
capabilities and resources of each participating agency to combine into 
a synergistic response to border crime and violence. BEST has also 
expanded to include our seaports and other non-border ports of entry as 
well. This has allowed the BEST program to evolve into a truly 
comprehensive security countermeasure against transnational crime and 
terrorist attack.
  It is also altogether fitting and proper that this bill be named 
after ICE Special Agent Jaime J. Zapata. On February 15, 2011, Special 
Agent Zapata gave his life in support of the ideals that are engendered 
in the BEST program. This legislation will stand as a testament to his 
selfless sacrifice and steadfast devotion to his duty as an American 
law enforcement officer.
  As chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee for Oversight, 
Investigations and Management, it is clear to me that the BEST program 
has made our border communities and our Nation safer and more secure. I 
urge my colleagues to pass this legislation so that we may continue its 
success in protecting our Nation.
  Ms. RICHARDSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 915, the Jaime 
Zapata Border Enforcement Security Task Force Act, which establishes a 
Border Enforcement Security Task Force program to enhance cooperation 
amongst border security forces.
  This legislation is named in honor of Immigration and Customs 
Enforcement (ICE) agent Jaime Zapata, who was killed in the line of the 
duty while serving on a Border Enforcement Security Task Force (BEST) 
team in Mexico. BEST teams incorporate personnel from ICE, Customs and 
Border Protection (CBP), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the 
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATFE), the Federal 
Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the United States Coast Guard (USCG), 
and the U.S. Attorney's Office (USAO), along with other key Federal, 
State and local law enforcement agencies.
  H.R. 915 establishes a BEST program to enhance border security by 
fostering coordinated efforts among Federal, State, and local border 
and law enforcement officials to protect United States border cities 
and communities from transnational crime, including violence associated 
with drug trafficking, arms smuggling, illegal alien trafficking and 
smuggling, violence, and kidnapping along and across the international 
borders of the United States.
  Securing our borders from those who would harm Americans is my 
highest priority as a Member of Congress. As a member of the Homeland 
Security Committee I am committed to working with my colleagues and the 
Administration to keep our borders secure from all those who threaten 
our freedom and liberty. As the Ranking Member on the Subcommittee on 
Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications of the Committee 
on Homeland Security, I have sponsored and co-sponsored legislation 
that improves our Nation's ability to secure the Nation's borders. I 
support H.R. 915 because it is a positive step in the right direction 
and I strongly urge my colleagues to do so as well.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. King) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 915, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas 
and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this question will be postponed.

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