[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 29 (Wednesday, February 14, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S1089]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 1975. Mrs. McCASKILL (for herself, Mr. Tester, and Ms. Heitkamp) 
submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill H.R. 
2579, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow the premium 
tax credit with respect to unsubsidized COBRA continuation coverage; 
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:

     SEC. __. BORDER AND PORT SECURITY.

       (a) Short Title.--This section may be cited as the ``Border 
     and Port Security Act''.
       (b) Additional U.S. Customs and Border Protection 
     Personnel.--
       (1) Officers.--The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border 
     Protection shall hire, train, and assign not fewer than 500 
     new Office of Field Operations officers above the current 
     authorized level every fiscal year until the total number of 
     Office of Field Operations officers equals the requirements 
     identified each year in the Workload Staffing Model.
       (2) Support staff.--The Commissioner is authorized to hire, 
     train, and assign support staff, including technicians, to 
     perform non-law enforcement administrative functions to 
     support the new Office of Field Operations officers hired 
     pursuant to paragraph (1).
       (3) Traffic forecasts.--In calculating the number of Office 
     of Field Operations officers needed at each port of entry 
     through the Workload Staffing Model, the Office of Field 
     Operations shall--
       (A) rely on data collected regarding the inspections and 
     other activities conducted at each such port of entry; and
       (B) consider volume from seasonal surges, other projected 
     changes in commercial and passenger volumes, the most current 
     commercial forecasts, and other relevant information.
       (4) Report on workload staffing model updates.--As part of 
     the Annual Report on Staffing required under section 
     411(g)(5)(A) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 
     211(g)(5)(A)), the Commissioner shall include information 
     concerning the progress made toward meeting Office of Field 
     Operations officer and support staff hiring targets, while 
     accounting for attrition.
       (5) GAO report.--If the Commissioner does not hire the 500 
     additional Office of Field Operations officers authorized 
     under paragraph (1) in fiscal year 2020, or in any subsequent 
     fiscal year in which the hiring requirements set forth in the 
     Workload Staffing Model have not been achieved, the 
     Comptroller General of the United States shall--
       (A) conduct a review of U.S. Customs and Border Protection 
     hiring practices to determine the reasons that such 
     requirements were not achieved and other issues related to 
     hiring by U.S. Customs and Border Protection; and
       (B) submit a report to the Committee on Homeland Security 
     and Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on 
     Homeland Security of the House of Representatives that 
     describes the results of the review conducted under 
     subparagraph (A).
       (c) Ports of Entry Infrastructure Enhancement Report.--Not 
     later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this 
     Act, the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection 
     shall submit a report to the Committee on Homeland Security 
     and Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on 
     Homeland Security of the House of Representatives that 
     identifies--
       (1) infrastructure improvements at ports of entry that 
     would enhance the ability of Office of Field Operations 
     officers to interdict opioids and other drugs that are being 
     illegally transported into the United States, including a 
     description of circumstances at specific ports of entry that 
     prevent the implementation of technology used at other ports 
     of entry;
       (2) detection equipment that would improve the ability of 
     such Office of Field Operations officers to identify opioids, 
     including precursors and derivatives, that are being 
     illegally transported into the United States; and
       (3) safety equipment that would protect such Office of 
     Field Operations officers from accidental exposure to such 
     drugs or other dangers associated with the inspection of 
     potential drug traffickers.
       (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated to carry out this section $69,520,000 for 
     each of the fiscal years 2018 through 2024.
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