[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 96 (Wednesday, June 5, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3999-S4002]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    NORTHERN BORDER COORDINATION ACT

  Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 257, S. 2291.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 2291) to establish the Northern Border 
     Coordination Center, and for other purposes.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill, 
which had been reported from the Committee on Homeland Security and 
Governmental Affairs, with an amendment to strike all after the 
enacting clause and insert in lieu thereof the following:

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Northern Border Coordination 
     Act''.

[[Page S4000]]

  


     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Center.--The term ``Center'' means the Northern Border 
     Coordination Center established pursuant to section 3.
       (2) C-UAS.--The term ``C-UAS'' means counter-unmanned 
     aircraft systems.
       (3) Department.--The term ``Department'' means the 
     Department of Homeland Security.
       (4) Northern border.--The term ``northern border'' means 
     the international border between the United States and 
     Canada.
       (5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of Homeland Security.
       (6) Unmanned aircraft; unmanned aircraft systems.--The 
     terms ``unmanned aircraft'' and ``unmanned aircraft system'' 
     have the meanings given such terms in section 44801 of title 
     49, United States Code.

     SEC. 3. NORTHERN BORDER COORDINATION CENTER.

       (a) Establishment.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish the 
     Northern Border Coordination Center.
       (b) Purpose.--The purpose of the Center shall be to serve 
     as the Department's forward deployed centralized coordination 
     center for operations, domain awareness, information sharing, 
     intelligence, training, and stakeholder engagement with 
     Federal, State, tribal, local, and international government 
     partners along the northern border of the United States at a 
     location that is collocated with an existing U.S. Border 
     Patrol sector headquarters, the U.S. Border Patrol Northern 
     Border Coordination Center, an Air and Marine Operations 
     branch, and a United States Coast Guard air station.
       (c) Components.--
       (1) In general.--The Center shall collocate personnel and 
     activities of--
       (A) U.S. Customs and Border Protection, including U.S. 
     Border Patrol and Air and Marine Operations;
       (B) the United States Coast Guard;
       (C) Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers;
       (D) the Science and Technology Directorate;
       (E) other components and offices of the Department that the 
     Secretary determines to be necessary; and
       (F) additional Federal, State, tribal, local, and 
     international government partners, as the Secretary 
     determines to be necessary and appropriate to support 
     operations described in this Act.
       (d) Functions.--The Center shall perform the functions 
     described in this subsection in addition to any other 
     functions assigned by the Secretary.
       (1) Northern border security strategy.--The Center, in 
     collaboration with relevant offices and components of the 
     Department, shall--
       (A) serve as a coordination mechanism for operational 
     components for the implementation, evaluation, and updating 
     of the Northern Border Security Strategy and any successor 
     strategy; and
       (B) support the development of best practices and policies 
     for personnel at the northern border to support such 
     implementation.
       (2) Training.--The Center shall serve as a training 
     location to support the delivery of training or exercises for 
     Department personnel and Federal, State, tribal, local, and 
     international government partners.
       (3) Metrics.--The Center, in collaboration with relevant 
     offices and components of the Department, shall coordinate 
     the development and tracking of border security metrics for 
     the northern border.
       (4) Resource and technological needs and challenges.--The 
     Center, in collaboration with relevant offices and components 
     of the Department, shall--
       (A) identify resource and technological needs or challenges 
     affecting security along the northern border;
       (B) serve as a testing ground and demonstration location 
     for the testing of border security technology, including 
     determining such technology's suitability and performance in 
     the northern border and maritime environments; and
       (C) develop and test new technological capabilities to 
     respond to the increased use of unmanned aircraft systems, 
     including to specifically improve domain awareness along the 
     northern border.
       (5) Air and marine operations.--
       (A) Quick reaction capabilities.--In support of the Center, 
     U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Air and Marine 
     Operations--
       (i) shall establish and maintain capability that is 
     collocated with the Center and available for quick deployment 
     in support of the northern border missions of the Center, 
     U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Department, 
     specifically missions in the Great Lakes region; and
       (ii) in coordination with the Center and relevant offices 
     and components of the Department, shall evaluate requirements 
     and make recommendations to support the operations of large 
     unmanned aircraft systems based at the Center.
       (B) Northern border domain awareness.--In order to 
     coordinate with the Center and support its operations, the 
     Air and Marine Operations Center shall establish a unit at 
     the Center to provide the Center the capability--
       (i) to support air and maritime domain awareness and 
     information sharing efforts along the northern border;
       (ii) to provide dedicated monitoring of northern border 
     systems; and
       (iii) to lead, in coordination with other U.S. Customs and 
     Border Protection components, Federal, State, tribal, local, 
     and international governments, and private sector partners, 
     the Center's efforts to track and monitor legitimate cross-
     border traffic involving unmanned aircraft and unmanned 
     aircraft systems.
       (6) Counter-unmanned aircraft systems.--The Center shall 
     support counter-unmanned aircraft systems operations along 
     the northern border to respond to the increased use of 
     unmanned aircraft systems.
       (7) Privacy and civil rights.--The Center, in collaboration 
     with the Chief Privacy Officer and the Office for Civil 
     Rights and Civil Liberties of the Department, shall ensure 
     that operations and practices of the Center comply with the 
     privacy and civil rights policies of the Department and its 
     components.
       (e) Annual Reporting.--Not later than 180 days after the 
     establishment of the Center, and annually thereafter, the 
     Secretary shall submit a report to the Committee on Homeland 
     Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the 
     Committee on Homeland Security of the House of 
     Representatives that describes the activities of the Center 
     during the most recently concluded fiscal year, including--
       (1) personnel levels;
       (2) additional resources that are needed to support the 
     operations of the Center and northern border operations of 
     the Department; and
       (3) any additional assets or authorities that are needed to 
     increase security and domain awareness along the northern 
     border.

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Northern Border Coordination 
     Act''.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Center.--The term ``Center'' means the Northern Border 
     Coordination Center established pursuant to section 3.
       (2) Department.--The term ``Department'' means the 
     Department of Homeland Security.
       (3) Northern border.--The term ``northern border'' means 
     the international border between the United States and 
     Canada.
       (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of Homeland Security.

     SEC. 3. NORTHERN BORDER COORDINATION CENTER.

       (a) Establishment.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish the 
     Northern Border Coordination Center.
       (b) Purpose.--The purpose of the Center shall be to serve 
     as the Department's forward deployed centralized coordination 
     center for operations, domain awareness, information sharing, 
     intelligence, training, and stakeholder engagement with 
     Federal, State, tribal, local, and international government 
     partners along the northern border of the United States. The 
     Center shall be placed along the northern border at a 
     location that is collocated with an existing U.S. Border 
     Patrol sector headquarters, an Air and Marine Operations 
     branch, and a United States Coast Guard air station, and 
     other existing Department activities.
       (c) Components.--
       (1) In general.--The Center shall collocate personnel and 
     activities of--
       (A) U.S. Customs and Border Protection, including U.S. 
     Border Patrol and Air and Marine Operations;
       (B) the United States Coast Guard;
       (C) U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland 
     Security Investigations;
       (D) other components and offices of the Department that the 
     Secretary determines to be necessary, including to support 
     the training, technology testing, and development described 
     in subsection (d); and
       (E) additional Federal, State, tribal, local, and 
     international government partners, as the Secretary 
     determines to be necessary and appropriate to support the 
     coordination of operations described in this Act.
       (d) Functions.--The Center shall perform the functions 
     described in this subsection in addition to any other 
     functions assigned by the Secretary.
       (1) Northern border strategy.--The Center, in collaboration 
     with relevant offices and components of the Department, 
     shall--
       (A) serve as a coordination mechanism for operational 
     components for the implementation, evaluation, and updating 
     of the Northern Border Strategy and any successor strategy; 
     and
       (B) support the development of best practices and policies 
     for personnel at the northern border to support such 
     implementation.
       (2) Training.--The Center shall serve as a training 
     location to support the delivery of training or exercises for 
     Department personnel and Federal, State, tribal, local, and 
     international government partners.
       (3) Metrics.--The Center, in collaboration with relevant 
     offices and components of the Department, shall coordinate 
     the development and tracking of border security metrics for 
     the northern border.
       (4) Resource and technological needs and challenges.--The 
     Center, in collaboration with relevant offices and components 
     of the Department, shall--
       (A) identify resource and technological needs or challenges 
     affecting security along the northern border; and
       (B) serve as a testing ground and demonstration location 
     for the testing of border security technology, including 
     determining such technology's suitability and performance in 
     the northern border and maritime environments.
       (5) Air and marine operations.--
       (A) Quick reaction capabilities.--In support of the Center, 
     U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Air and Marine 
     Operations--
       (i) shall establish and maintain capability that is 
     collocated with the Center and available for quick deployment 
     in support of the northern border missions, U.S. Customs and 
     Border Protection, and the Department, including missions in 
     the Great Lakes region; and
       (ii) in coordination with the Center and relevant offices 
     and components of the Department, shall evaluate requirements 
     and make recommendations to support the operations of large 
     unmanned aircraft systems based at the Center.

[[Page S4001]]

       (B) Northern border domain awareness.--In order to 
     coordinate with the Center and support its operations, the 
     Air and Marine Operations Center shall collocate personnel 
     and resources with the Center to enhance the Department's 
     capabilities to--
       (i) support air and maritime domain awareness and 
     information sharing efforts along the northern border;
       (ii) provide dedicated monitoring of northern border 
     systems; and
       (iii) lead, in coordination with other U.S. Customs and 
     Border Protection components, Federal, State, tribal, local, 
     and international governments, and private sector partners, 
     the Center's efforts to track and monitor legitimate cross-
     border traffic involving unmanned aircraft and unmanned 
     aircraft systems.
       (6) Counter-unmanned aircraft systems.--Pursuant to 
     policies established by the Secretary, the Center shall 
     support counter-unmanned aircraft systems operations along 
     the northern border to respond to the increased use of 
     unmanned aircraft systems. Such support may involve 
     development, testing, and evaluation of technologies.
       (7) Privacy and civil rights.--The Center, in collaboration 
     with the Chief Privacy Officer and the Office for Civil 
     Rights and Civil Liberties of the Department, shall ensure 
     that operations and practices of the Center comply with the 
     privacy and civil rights policies of the Department and its 
     components.
       (e) Annual Reporting.--Not later than 180 days after the 
     establishment of the Center, and annually thereafter, the 
     Secretary shall submit a report to the Committee on Homeland 
     Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the 
     Committee on Homeland Security of the House of 
     Representatives that describes the activities of the Center 
     during the most recently concluded fiscal year, including--
       (1) personnel levels;
       (2) additional resources that are needed to support the 
     operations of the Center and northern border operations of 
     the Department; and
       (3) any additional assets or authorities that are needed to 
     increase security and domain awareness along the northern 
     border.
       (f) Temporary Duty Assignments.--The Secretary shall submit 
     a quarterly report to the Committee on Homeland Security and 
     Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on 
     Homeland Security of the House of Representatives regarding 
     temporary duty assignments of U.S. Border Patrol agents 
     during the reporting period, including--
       (1) the number of agents on temporary duty assignment;
       (2) the duration of the temporary duty assignment; and
       (3) the sectors from which the agents were assigned.
       (g) Rule of Construction.--The Center established pursuant 
     to subsection (a) shall be established separate and distinct 
     from the Secretary's authorities under section 708 of the 
     Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 348).
  Mr. SCHUMER. I ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported 
substitute amendment be withdrawn; that the Peters substitute 
amendment, which is at the desk, be considered and agreed to; that the 
bill, as amended, be considered read a third time and passed; and that 
the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The committee-reported amendment in the nature of a substitute was 
withdrawn.
  The amendment (No. 2073) was agreed to as follows:

                (Purpose: In the nature of a substitute)

        Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 
     following:

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Northern Border Coordination 
     Act''.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Center.--The term ``Center'' means the Northern Border 
     Coordination Center established pursuant to section 3.
       (2) Department.--The term ``Department'' means the 
     Department of Homeland Security.
       (3) Northern border.--The term ``northern border'' means--
       (A) the international border between the United States and 
     Canada; and
       (B) the maritime border between Alaska and the Russian 
     Federation.
       (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of Homeland Security.

     SEC. 3. NORTHERN BORDER COORDINATION CENTER.

       (a) Establishment.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish the 
     Northern Border Coordination Center.
       (b) Purpose.--The purpose of the Center shall be to serve 
     as the Department's forward deployed centralized coordination 
     center for operations, domain awareness, information sharing, 
     intelligence, training, and stakeholder engagement with 
     Federal, State, tribal, local, and international government 
     partners along the northern border of the United States. The 
     Center shall be placed along the northern border at a 
     location that is collocated with an existing U.S. Border 
     Patrol sector headquarters, an Air and Marine Operations 
     branch, and a United States Coast Guard air station, and 
     other existing Department activities.
       (c) Components.--
       (1) In general.--The Center shall collocate personnel and 
     activities of--
       (A) U.S. Customs and Border Protection, including U.S. 
     Border Patrol and Air and Marine Operations;
       (B) the United States Coast Guard;
       (C) U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland 
     Security Investigations;
       (D) other components and offices of the Department that the 
     Secretary determines to be necessary, including to support 
     the training, technology testing, and development described 
     in subsection (d); and
       (E) additional Federal, State, tribal, local, and 
     international government partners, as the Secretary 
     determines to be necessary and appropriate to support the 
     coordination of operations described in this Act.
       (d) Functions.--The Center shall perform the functions 
     described in this subsection in addition to any other 
     functions assigned by the Secretary.
       (1) Northern border strategy.--The Center, in collaboration 
     with relevant offices and components of the Department, 
     shall--
       (A) serve as a coordination mechanism for operational 
     components for the implementation, evaluation, and updating 
     of the Northern Border Strategy and any successor strategy; 
     and
       (B) support the development of best practices and policies 
     for personnel at the northern border to support such 
     implementation.
       (2) Training.--The Center shall serve as a training 
     location to support the delivery of training or exercises for 
     Department personnel and Federal, State, tribal, local, and 
     international government partners.
       (3) Metrics.--The Center, in collaboration with relevant 
     offices and components of the Department, shall coordinate 
     the development and tracking of border security metrics for 
     the northern border.
       (4) Resource and technological needs and challenges.--The 
     Center, in collaboration with relevant offices and components 
     of the Department, shall--
       (A) identify resource and technological needs or challenges 
     affecting security along the northern border; and
       (B) serve as a testing ground and demonstration location 
     for the testing of border security technology, including 
     determining such technology's suitability and performance in 
     the northern border and maritime environments.
       (5) Air and marine operations.--
       (A) Quick reaction capabilities.--In support of the Center, 
     U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Air and Marine 
     Operations--
       (i) shall establish and maintain capability that is 
     collocated with the Center and available for quick deployment 
     in support of the northern border missions, U.S. Customs and 
     Border Protection, and the Department, including missions in 
     the Great Lakes region; and
       (ii) in coordination with the Center and relevant offices 
     and components of the Department, shall evaluate requirements 
     and make recommendations to support the operations of large 
     unmanned aircraft systems based at the Center.
       (B) Northern border domain awareness.--In order to 
     coordinate with the Center and support its operations, the 
     Air and Marine Operations Center shall collocate personnel 
     and resources with the Center to enhance the Department's 
     capabilities to--
       (i) support air and maritime domain awareness and 
     information sharing efforts along the northern border;
       (ii) provide dedicated monitoring of northern border 
     systems; and
       (iii) lead, in coordination with other U.S. Customs and 
     Border Protection components, Federal, State, tribal, local, 
     and international governments, and private sector partners, 
     the Center's efforts to track and monitor legitimate cross-
     border traffic involving unmanned aircraft and unmanned 
     aircraft systems.
       (6) Counter-unmanned aircraft systems.--
       (A) In general.--Pursuant to policies established by the 
     Secretary, consistent with section 210G of the Homeland 
     Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 124n), the Center shall 
     support counter-unmanned aircraft systems operations along 
     the northern border to respond to the increased use of 
     unmanned aircraft systems. Such support may involve 
     development, testing, and evaluation of technologies.
       (B) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this Act may be 
     construed to provide additional authority related to 
     detection, mitigation, research, development, or testing of 
     unmanned aircraft systems or counter-unmanned aircraft 
     systems.
       (7) Privacy and civil rights.--The Center, in collaboration 
     with the Chief Privacy Officer and the Office for Civil 
     Rights and Civil Liberties of the Department, shall ensure 
     that operations and practices of the Center comply with the 
     privacy and civil rights policies of the Department and its 
     components.
       (8) Noncontiguous northern border.--The Center, in 
     collaboration with relevant offices and components of the 
     Department, shall--
       (A) identify the specific challenges that exist along the 
     noncontiguous international land border with Canada and the 
     maritime border with Russia, including resource, 
     technological challenges, and domain awareness;
       (B) ensure that dedicated personnel, including reachback 
     support, are working to evaluate and address the challenges 
     identified pursuant to subparagraph (A); and

[[Page S4002]]

       (C) determine the feasibility of establishing a satellite 
     facility of the Center to address the specific challenges 
     identified pursuant to subparagraph (A).
       (e) Annual Reporting.--Not later than 180 days after the 
     establishment of the Center, and annually thereafter, the 
     Secretary shall submit a report to the Committee on Homeland 
     Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate, the 
     Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate, the Committee 
     on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, the 
     Committee on Homeland Security of the House of 
     Representatives, the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the 
     House of Representatives, and the Committee on Transportation 
     and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives that 
     describes the activities of the Center during the most 
     recently concluded fiscal year, including--
       (1) personnel levels;
       (2) additional resources that are needed to support the 
     operations of the Center and northern border operations of 
     the Department; and
       (3) any additional assets or authorities that are needed to 
     increase security and domain awareness along the northern 
     border.
       (f) Temporary Duty Assignments.--The Secretary shall submit 
     a quarterly report to the Committee on Homeland Security and 
     Governmental Affairs of the Senate, the Committee on Foreign 
     Relations of the Senate, the Committee on Homeland Security 
     of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Foreign 
     Affairs of the House of Representatives regarding temporary 
     duty assignments of U.S. Border Patrol agents during the 
     reporting period, including--
       (1) the number of agents on temporary duty assignment;
       (2) the duration of the temporary duty assignment; and
       (3) the sectors from which the agents were assigned.
       (g) Rule of Construction.--The Center established pursuant 
     to subsection (a) shall be established separate and distinct 
     from the Secretary's authorities under section 708 of the 
     Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 348).
       (h) Sunset.--This Act shall cease to be effective on the 
     date that is 7 years after the date of the enactment of this 
     Act.
  The bill (No. 2291), as amended, was ordered to be engrossed for a 
third reading, was read the third time, and passed.

                          ____________________