[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 140 (Monday, September 28, 2015)]
[House]
[Pages H6284-H6285]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 CROSS-BORDER RAIL SECURITY ACT OF 2015

  Ms. McSALLY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 2786) to require the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection to submit a report on cross-border rail security, and for 
other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 2786

       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 ``Cross-Border Rail Security 
     Act of 2015''.

     SEC. 2. CROSS-BORDER RAIL SECURITY.

       (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Commissioner of U.S. Customs 
     and Border Protection (CBP) shall submit to the Committee on 
     Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the 
     Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of 
     the Senate a report on the following:
       (1) The number of shipments entering the United States by 
     rail annually that are determined to be high-risk by the 
     Commissioner.
       (2) Specific details on the status of radiation detection 
     units, by type, at each rail crossing on the northern and 
     southern land borders as of such date of enactment.
       (3) An assessment of whether additional radiation detection 
     equipment is necessary to ensure that all such high-risk 
     cross-border rail shipments are examined with appropriate 
     equipment.
       (4) A plan for ensuring that all relevant CBP personnel 
     receive adequate training and guidance on the proper use of 
     CBP's Automated Targeting System for such high-risk cross-
     border rail shipments, the use of appropriate radiation 
     detection equipment for examination of such high-risk cross-
     border rail shipments, and requirements for recording 
     examination results.
       (b) GAO Audit.--The Comptroller General of the United 
     States shall periodically audit U.S. Customs and Border 
     Protection operations at rail crossings on the northern and 
     southern international borders to ensure rail shipments are 
     targeted, examined, and the results of such examinations 
     properly documented.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Arizona (Ms. McSally) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Vela) each will 
control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Arizona.


                             General Leave

  Ms. McSALLY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may 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 
gentlewoman from Arizona?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. McSALLY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2786, the Cross-Border 
Rail Security Act of 2015.
  First, I would like to thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Vela), the 
ranking member of the Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security, for 
introducing this thoughtful bill and working in a collaborative manner 
as this legislation moved through the committee process.
  Mr. Speaker, this legislation requires the Commissioner of Customs 
and Border Protection to submit a report to Congress that outlines how 
and when high-risk rail shipments entering the United States are 
scanned for potential risks.
  The impetus for this legislation was a recent inspector general 
report that found CBP was inadequately targeting high-risk rail 
shipments arriving in the U.S. from Canada and Mexico. This bill will 
help Congress better understand the frequency and location of such 
high-risk shipments and detail the current state of radiation detection 
equipment on our international railways.
  Mr. Speaker, as many of my colleagues who also live along the border 
know, each year approximately 2.7 million containers enter the United 
States by rail. While most of the commodities transferred by rail do 
not pose significant homeland security threats, we must ensure that we 
are properly identifying and targeting those shipments which are high 
risk and conduct physical scanning when necessary.
  To ensure proper oversight, it is very important to understand the 
capabilities of CBP, including the number, location, and type of 
detection equipment used at each cross-border rail crossing. We also 
need to understand what additional equipment and training is necessary 
to ensure our rail cargo system is secure.
  As we know, proper training is an important force multiplier which 
will help maximize effectiveness of our Customs and Border Protection 
Officers, reducing wait times and increasing security.
  Finally, H.R. 2786 requires the Government Accountability Office to 
perform a series of audits over CBP's targeting of cross-border rail 
shipments.
  Mr. Speaker, rail cargo is expected to increase over the next 10 
years. This bill will ensure CBP adequately addresses this 
vulnerability and implements proper standards of screening and 
targeting for rail cargo. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2786.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. VELA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2786, the Cross-Border 
Rail Security Act.
  Mr. Speaker, in March of this year, the Department of Homeland 
Security's inspector general released a report on high-risk cross-
border rail cargo. The report concluded that U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection, or CBP, did not always use the required radiation detection 
equipment to examine shipments it determined to be high risk. 
Additionally, some ports of entry lacked the appropriate equipment to 
conduct these screenings, and training and oversight of targeting and 
examining such shipments was lacking.
  In response to these troubling findings, my bill would require the 
CBP Commissioner to submit to the relevant congressional committees 
within 180 days of enactment a report regarding high-risk cross-border 
rail cargo shipments entering the United States.
  Mr. Speaker, my bill would require the report to include information 
on the number of high-risk shipments crossing the border by rail, 
details on the radiation detection units at rail crossings, an 
assessment of whether additional equipment is necessary, and a plan for 
ensuring that all relevant CBP personnel receive appropriate training 
to appropriately target, examine, and record the disposition of such 
shipments. The bill requires the Government Accountability Office to 
audit periodically CBP operations at rail crossings to ensure rail 
shipments are being appropriately targeted, examined, and documented.
  The community I represent has a vested interest in securing cross-
border rail cargo. This past August, I was proud to be a part of the 
opening of the West Rail Bypass International Bridge located in 
Brownsville, Texas, the first international new rail crossing between 
the U.S. and Mexico in over a century.
  Both of our land borders are dotted with these crossings, and, in 
fact, the majority of them are located on the northern border. The 
cargo that crosses by rail is destined for locations all over the 
United States, making the effective targeting and examining of high-
risk shipments a national concern.
  Mr. Speaker, my committee colleagues unanimously supported this bill, 
and I urge all of my colleagues to help strengthen the cross-border 
rail security by supporting H.R. 2786.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1715

  Ms. McSALLY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I once again urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2786.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, as a senior member of the Homeland 
Security Committee, I rise in support of H.R. 2786, the ``Cross-Border 
Rail Security Act of 2015,'' which directs U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection (CBP) to report to Congress on its inspection of high-risk 
shipments entering the United States by rail.

[[Page H6285]]

  Specifically, H.R. 2786 requires the CBP to report on the following 
matters related to homeland security:
  the number of high-risk rail shipments annually entering the country;
  the status of radiation detection units at each border rail crossing; 
and
  an assessment of whether additional radiation detection equipment is 
necessary.
  The bill also requires CBP to develop a plan for ensuring that all 
relevant CBP personnel receive adequate training and guidance on the 
proper use of CBP's Automated Targeting System for such shipments, and 
in the use of appropriate radiation detection equipment for shipment 
examination, and requirements for recording examination results.
  H.R. 2786 bill also requires the General Accountability Office to 
periodically audit CBP operations at rail crossings on borders to 
ensure rail shipments are targeted, examined, and the examination 
results are well documented.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill is good for our nation and for my 
congressional district, which is centered in Houston, Texas.
  Houston has been the hub of railroad hub of Texas since the 1880s and 
is known as the place ``where 17 railroads meet the sea.''
  It is also the ``the energy capital of the world.''
  Freight from the Houston area goes by railroad to destinations all 
over the United States, including Los Angeles, Long Beach, New York 
City, Charleston, and Savannah.
  Over 1 billion tons of freight travels through Houston area each 
year; no other state comes close to the level of trade the metropolitan 
Houston region experiences.
  One billion tons of freight leaves the Houston area each year, nearly 
two/ thirds of which (645 million tons) involve goods come from foreign 
sources.
  The top foreign freight origination point for the City of Houston is 
Mexico.
  Mexico supplies over 50% of all international freight in the Houston 
area.
  Europe and Canada are Houston's second largest foreign freight 
trading partners, accounting for over 27% of international freight in 
the Houston area.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in supporting H.R. 2786 
because the safety of rail transit is critical to the security of the 
homeland and strength of our economy.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Arizona (Ms. McSally) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 2786.
  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. VELA. 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 motion will be postponed.

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