[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 169 (Thursday, October 24, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6176-S6177]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
PROTECTING AMERICA'S FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ACT OF 2019
Mr. SCOTT of Florida. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the
Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 198, S.
2107.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The clerk will report the bill by title.
The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
A bill (S. 2107) to increase the number of CBP Agriculture
Specialists and support staff in the Office of Field
Operations of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and for
other purposes.
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
Mr. SCOTT of Florida. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the bill
be considered read a third time and passed and the motion to reconsider
be considered made and laid upon the table.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
[[Page S6177]]
The bill (S. 2107) was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading,
was read the third time, and passed as follows:
S. 2107
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 ``Protecting America's Food
and Agriculture Act of 2019''.
SEC. 2. FINDING.
Congress finds that--
(1) it is in the national security interest of the United
States to ensure that the Nation's food supply is
sufficiently protected; and
(2) a vital part of such protection is the availability of
adequate resources at the border to conduct inspections of
incoming food and agricultural goods.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(A) the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental
Affairs of the Senate;
(B) the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
of the Senate;
(C) the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of
Representatives; and
(D) the Committee on Agriculture of the House of
Representatives.
(2) CBP.--The term ``CBP'' means U.S. Customs and Border
Protection.
SEC. 4. ADDITIONAL U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION
PERSONNEL.
(a) CBP Agriculture Specialists.--The Commissioner of U.S.
Customs and Border Protection may hire, train, and assign 240
new CBP Agriculture Specialists above the current attrition
level during every fiscal year until the total number of CBP
Agriculture Specialists equals and sustains the requirements
identified each year in the Agriculture Resource Allocation
Model.
(b) Mission and Operational Support Staff.--
(1) In general.--The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and
Border Protection may hire, train, and assign support staff
to support CBP Agriculture Specialists.
(2) CBP agriculture technicians.--The Commissioner of U.S.
Customs and Border Protection may hire, train, and assign 200
new CBP Agriculture Technicians during each fiscal year until
the total number of CBP Agriculture Technicians equals and
sustains the requirements identified each year in the Mission
and Operational Support Resource Allocation Model.
(c) CBP Agriculture Canine Teams.--The Commissioner of U.S.
Customs and Border Protection may hire, train, and assign 20
new CBP agriculture canine teams during each of the first 3
fiscal years beginning after the date of the enactment of
this Act.
(d) Traffic Forecasts.--In calculating the number of CBP
Agriculture Specialists needed at each port of entry through
the Agriculture Resource Allocation Model, the Office of
Field Operations shall--
(1) rely on data collected regarding the inspections and
other activities conducted at each such port of entry; and
(2) consider volume from seasonal surges, other projected
changes in commercial and passenger volumes, the most current
commercial forecasts, and other relevant information.
(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--
(1) CBP agriculture specialists.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out subsection (a)--
(A) $29,900,000 for fiscal year 2020;
(B) $36,100,000 for fiscal year 2021; and
(C) $40,500,000 for fiscal year 2022.
(2) CBP agriculture technicians.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out subsection (b)--
(A) $11,000,000 for fiscal year 2020;
(B) $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2021; and
(C) $38,000,000 for fiscal year 2022.
(3) CBP agriculture canine teams.--There is authorized to
be appropriated to carry out subsection (c)--
(A) $3,500,000 for fiscal year 2020;
(B) $7,400,000 for fiscal year 2021; and
(C) $12,200,000 for fiscal year 2022.
(4) Training.--There is authorized to be appropriated for
training costs associated with the new CBP personnel and
canine teams hired pursuant to subsections (a), (b), and (c)
$6,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2020, 2021, and 2022.
SEC. 5. GAO STUDY, BRIEFING, AND REPORT.
(a) Study.--The Comptroller General of the United States,
after consultation with the appropriate congressional
committees, shall conduct a review of the efforts of the
Department of Homeland Security, the Department of
Agriculture, and other Federal agencies to address risks to
the agricultural supply that analyzes--
(1) interagency coordination and the distribution of
responsibilities among Federal agencies with respect to the
inspection of agricultural commodities entering the United
States;
(2) the effectiveness of such inspection responsibilities
among Federal agencies; and
(3) the training provided to, and working conditions of,
CBP Agriculture Specialists.
(b) Briefing.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall brief
the appropriate congressional committees regarding the
results of the study conducted pursuant to subsection (a).
(c) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the briefing
required under subsection (b), the Comptroller General shall
complete the study required under subsection (a) and make the
results of the study available to the public.
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