[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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