[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 120 (Tuesday, June 30, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S4070]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2371. Mr. CASSIDY submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
to amendment SA 2301 proposed by Mr. Inhofe to the bill S. 4049, to 
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2021 for military activities 
of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for 
defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military 
personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which 
was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

        At the end of subtitle G of title X, add the following:

     SEC. 1085. STUDY ON USE OF EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES BY U.S. 
                   CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION.

       (a) Study.--The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border 
     Protection shall carry out a study, in consultation with 
     appropriate private sector stakeholders and the heads of 
     other Federal agencies, with respect to--
       (1) the status of implementation and internal use of 
     emerging technologies, including blockchain technology and 
     other innovative technologies, within U.S. Customs and Border 
     Protection; and
       (2) how applications of blockchain technology, cloud and 
     edge computing, and other innovative technologies can--
       (A) make the data analysis of U.S. Customs and Border 
     Protection more efficient and effective;
       (B) be used to support strategic initiatives of U.S. 
     Customs and Border Protection; and
       (C) be further leveraged to improve the informed compliance 
     model of U.S. Customs and Border Protection and enhance the 
     transparency of supply chains.
       (b) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Commissioner shall submit to the 
     appropriate congressional committees a report to containing--
       (1) all findings and determinations made in carrying out 
     the study required under subsection (a); and
       (2) any recommendations identified in carrying out the 
     study for using blockchain technology and other innovative 
     technologies with respect to efforts by U.S. Customs and 
     Border Protection--
       (A) to combat money laundering and other forms of illicit 
     finance; and
       (B) to detect and deter trade-based money laundering, the 
     distribution of counterfeit goods, and goods made with 
     convict labor, forced labor, or indentured labor.
       (c) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
     ``appropriate congressional committees'' means the Committee 
     on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate 
     and the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of 
     Representatives.
       (2) Informed compliance model.--The term ``informed 
     compliance model'' means a model based on shared 
     responsibility between U.S. Customs and Border Protection and 
     importers under which--
       (A) U.S. Customs and Border Protection effectively 
     communicates its requirements to importers; and
       (B) importers conduct their activities in accordance with 
     those requirements and the statutes and regulations of the 
     United States.
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