[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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