[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 29 (Wednesday, February 14, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1124-S1125]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2011. Mr. HEINRICH (for himself and Mr. Udall) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by him 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 SECURITY ENHANCEMENTS IN MOUNTAINOUS, HIGH 
                   DESERT, AND BACKCOUNTRY TERRAIN.

       (a) In General.--The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and 
     Border Protection shall--
       (1) acquire and deploy such additional horses and off-road 
     vehicles, including all-terrain vehicles, as may be necessary 
     to provide for enhanced security in mountainous, high desert, 
     and backcountry areas near the international border between 
     the United States and Mexico;
       (2) increase the use of advanced detection and surveillance 
     technology in the areas described in paragraph (1);
       (3) acquire fixed and mobile technology assets, including 
     night vision goggles;
       (4) increase and improve interoperable communications that 
     are LTE-capable;
       (5) increase mountain patrols to gain and enhance domain 
     awareness;
       (6) increase and upgrade facilities to the extent necessary 
     to accommodate personnel and asset needs;
       (7) perform any maintenance and care that may be necessary 
     to preserve the operational capability of all mountainous, 
     high desert, and backcountry assets; and
       (8) hire and deploy additional personnel, as necessary--
       (A) to enhance border security in mountainous, high desert, 
     and backcountry areas near the international border between 
     the United States and Mexico; and
       (B) to successfully carry out the related duties of U.S. 
     Customs and Border Protection set forth in section 211 of the 
     Homeland Security Act of 2002 (5 U.S.C. 411).

[[Page S1125]]

       (b) Requirements.--In carrying out subsection (a), the 
     Commissioner shall--
       (1) consult with agents in the field;
       (2) prioritize the deployment of such technology based on 
     the needs of remote stations in mountainous, high desert, and 
     backcountry areas near the international border between the 
     United States and Mexico.
       (c) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Commissioner shall submit a report 
     to the appropriate congressional committees that describes 
     the implementation of subsection (a), including--
       (1) the assets deployed in mountainous, high desert, and 
     backcountry areas near the international border between the 
     United States and Mexico; and
       (2) the expenditures incurred to acquire and deploy such 
     assets.
       (d) Agent Mobility Demonstration Program.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall 
     establish a 5-year pilot program in the El Paso Sector, to be 
     known as the ``Agent Mobility Program'', under which agents 
     assigned within the El Paso Sector may laterally transfer to 
     a designated, hard-to-fill station within the El Paso sector 
     for a period of at least 3 years.
       (2) Completion of service.--Any agent who completes 3 years 
     of service at a hard-to-fill station to which he or she 
     transferred under the program established under paragraph 
     (1)--
       (A) shall be presented to the selecting officer as a 
     preferred agent; and
       (B) shall be eligible to transfer to 1 of 3 border patrol 
     stations in the El Paso Sector of their choice that has an 
     opening at the time of such transfer.
       (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--In addition to 
     amounts otherwise authorized to be appropriated, there is 
     authorized to be appropriated, to U.S. Customs and Border 
     Protection, such sums as may be necessary to carry out this 
     section.
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