[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 106 (Monday, June 25, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H5633-H5634]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
IMMIGRATION ADVISORY PROGRAM AUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2018
Ms. McSALLY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 5207) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to
establish the immigration advisory program, and for other purposes, as
amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 5207
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 ``Immigration Advisory Program
Authorization Act of 2018'' or the ``IAP Authorization Act of
2018''.
SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF THE IMMIGRATION ADVISORY PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--Subtitle B of title IV of the Homeland
Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 211 et seq.) is amended by
adding at the end the following new section:
``SEC. 419. IMMIGRATION ADVISORY PROGRAM.
``(a) In General.--There is authorized within U.S. Customs
and Border Protection an immigration advisory program (in
this section referred to as the `program') for U.S. Customs
and Border Protection officers, pursuant to an agreement with
a host country, to assist air carriers and security employees
at foreign airports with review of traveler information
during the processing of flights bound for the United States.
``(b) Activities.--In carrying out the program, U.S.
Customs and Border Protection officers may--
``(1) be present during processing of flights bound for the
United States;
``(2) assist air carriers and security employees with
document examination and traveler security assessments;
``(3) provide relevant training to air carriers, security
employees, and host-country authorities;
``(4) analyze electronic passenger information and
passenger reservation data to identify potential threats;
``(5) engage air carriers and travelers to confirm
potential terrorist watchlist matches;
``(6) make recommendations to air carriers to deny
potentially inadmissable passengers
[[Page H5634]]
boarding flights bound for the United States; and
``(7) conduct other activities to secure flights bound for
the United States, as directed by the Commissioner of U.S.
Customs and Border Protection.
``(c) Notification to Congress.--Not later than 60 days
before an agreement with the government of a host country
pursuant to the program described in this section enters into
force, the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection
shall provide the Committee on Homeland Security of the House
of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs of the Senate with--
``(1) a copy of such agreement, which shall include--
``(A) the identification of the host country with which
U.S. Customs and Border Protection intends to enter into such
agreement;
``(B) the location at which activities described in
subsection (b) will be conducted pursuant to such agreement;
and
``(C) the terms and conditions for U.S. Customs and Border
Protection personnel operating at such location;
``(2) country-specific information on the anticipated
homeland security benefits associated with such agreement;
``(3) an assessment of the impacts such agreement will have
on U.S. Customs and Border Protection domestic port of entry
staffing;
``(4) information on the anticipated costs over the five
fiscal years after such agreement enters into force
associated with carrying out such agreement;
``(5) details on information sharing mechanisms to ensure
that U.S. Customs and Border Protection has current
information to prevent terrorist and criminal travel; and
``(6) other factors that the Commissioner determines
necessary for Congress to comprehensively assess the
appropriateness of carrying out the program.
``(d) Amendment of Existing Agreements.--Not later than 30
days before a substantially amended program agreement with
the government of a host country in effect as of the date of
the enactment of this section enters into force, the
Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection shall
provide to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs of the Senate--
``(1) a copy of such agreement, as amended; and
``(2) the justification for such amendment.
``(e) Definitions.--In this section, the terms `air
carrier' and `foreign air carrier' have the meanings given
such terms in section 40102 of title 49, United States
Code.''.
(b) Conforming Amendment.--Subsection (c) of section 411 of
the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 211) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (18), by striking ``and'' after the
semicolon at the end;
(2) by redesignating paragraph (19) as paragraph (20); and
(3) by inserting after paragraph (18) the following new
paragraph:
``(19) carry out section 419, relating to the immigration
advisory program; and''.
(c) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents in section
1(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended by
inserting after the item relating to section 418 the
following new item:
``Sec. 419. Immigration advisory program.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
Arizona (Ms. McSally) and the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr.
Langevin) 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
have 5 legislative days 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, a major part of keeping the homeland safe is making sure
we prevent bad actors from ever reaching our shores. In order to do
this, we must continue to push out our borders with programs that
utilize a combination of vetting and interviews conducted by
experienced law enforcement agents.
The Customs and Border Protection Immigration Advisory Program, or
IAP, accomplishes just that. The IAP program deploys specially trained
CBP officers to major last-point-of-departure airports that offer
direct flights to the United States. It is the responsibility of these
officers to recommend that airlines do not allow foreign nationals who
would be deemed inadmissible upon arrival or present a significant
security threat to board an airplane bound for the United States.
This program enhances our national security by preventing high-risk
individuals from boarding an airplane bound for our homeland. In fiscal
year 2017, there were a total of 4,328 no-board recommendations made
across 12 different IAP airport locations. IAP is especially important
in countries with significant terrorist screening database hits.
The IAP program is not currently authorized by statute, but H.R.
5207, the Immigration Advisory Program Authorization Act of 2018, will
finally codify this important safety and security program into law. I
ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to please join me in
supporting this commonsense legislation, and I reserve the balance of
my time.
Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5207, the Immigration Advisory
Program Authorization Act of 2018.
H.R. 5207 authorizes an important function within U.S. Customs and
Border Protection, the Immigration Advisory Program, or IAP. Under this
program, CBP deploys officers to overseas airports to advise law
enforcement partners about certain passengers before they board U.S.-
bound flights. This important program seeks to essentially push out our
borders to prevent travelers who may pose a threat to the U.S. from
ever boarding an inbound flight.
Importantly, beyond simply authorizing the program, the bill requires
CBP to notify Congress whenever a new agreement is put in place with a
foreign partner. It also requires CBP to assess how the overseas
deployment of officers may affect officer coverage at U.S. ports of
entry.
While I certainly appreciate the sacrifice made by officers serving
abroad, I would note that this authorization is coming at a time when
CBP has acknowledged that it is currently 4,000 officers short of what
it needs to carry out current operations, both domestically and abroad.
Mr. Speaker, there is continued bipartisan support for CBP to push
out our borders to prevent individuals who pose a threat to the U.S.
from making their way here to our country. H.R. 5207 authorizes an
existing DHS program that has proven helpful to our foreign partners in
carrying out our shared interest of preventing terrorism, and it
reduces the burden of deporting individuals who would be denied entry
into the U.S. upon landing here.
Mr. Speaker, I commend the gentlewoman for sponsoring the bill. I
support it, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. McSALLY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Rhode Island for his support
on this bipartisan legislation. I urge my colleagues to support this
bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
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. 5207, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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