[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 115 (Thursday, July 11, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4925-S4926]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2582. Mr. MULLIN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill S. 4638, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 
2025 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 appropriate place in title XXVIII, insert the 
     following:

     SEC. 28__. PLAN AND COST ESTIMATE TO COMPLETE BORDER BARRIER 
                   ON SOUTHWEST BORDER OF UNITED STATES.

       (a) In General.--Subject to the availability of 
     appropriations, the Commanding General of the Army Corps of 
     Engineers, in consultation with the heads of other Federal 
     agencies, as appropriate, shall submit to the congressional 
     defense committees and the Committee on Environment and 
     Public Works of the Senate, not later than March 30, 2025, a 
     plan and cost estimate for completing the construction of a 
     physical barrier along the southwest border of the United 
     States within a two-year period.
       (b) Elements.--The plan and cost estimate required under 
     subsection (a) shall include the following:
       (1) An assessment of existing barriers along the southwest 
     border of the United States, including the length of existing 
     barriers that have fallen into disrepair and would require 
     replacement.
       (2) An estimate of the length of new construction that 
     would be required to complete the construction of a physical 
     barrier along the southwest border of the United States, 
     factoring in the assessment under paragraph (1).
       (3) An assessment of advisability of physical barrier 
     construction due to natural terrain features, land ownership 
     status, land preservation considerations, at risk species, 
     and other considerations as determined appropriate by the 
     Commanding General of the Army Corps of Engineers.
       (4) A detailed map of new construction, including planned 
     locations for gates and other access points along the 
     physical barrier.
       (5) A detailed map of the land that may be impacted by pre-
     construction activities, construction activities, post-
     construction cleanup, and other construction-related 
     activities, including a clear identification of impacted 
     public land, private land, tribal land, and Indigenous and 
     other cultural sites.
       (6) An assessment of any land preservation considerations, 
     including an assessment of site restoration, environmental 
     mitigation, habitat mitigation, and other mitigation as 
     determined appropriate for land assessed under paragraphs (1) 
     and (3), as well as an identification of any impact to farm 
     or ranch land, and military bases and ranges.
       (7) A detailed consultation plan for State, local, and 
     Tribal community engagement and stakeholder engagement, 
     including specifics on Tribal consultation, to be completed 
     within one year.
       (8) A detailed identification of the materials required to 
     complete the construction described in subsection (a), 
     including any electrical, lighting, sensors, and other 
     fixtures, and the estimated cost of those materials.
       (9) An estimated number of personnel that would be required 
     to complete the construction of a physical barrier within two 
     years and an estimated cost of such labor.
       (10) An assessment of any additional construction that 
     would be advisable to support a physical barrier along the 
     southwest border of the United States, such as access roads 
     or watch towers, and an estimated cost of such construction.
       (11) An assessment of any monitoring, sensing, and other 
     technologies that would be advisable for securing the 
     southwest border of the United States and an estimated cost 
     of those technologies.
       (12) An assessment of the requirements for maintaining the 
     physical barrier along the southwest border of the United 
     States, including replacement of panels and anticipated 
     repair requirements, and an estimated annual cost of such 
     maintenance.
       (c) Exclusion.--The plan and cost estimate required under 
     subsection (a) shall exclude any land for which a State has 
     requested excess materials for construction projects pursuant 
     to section 2890 of the National Defense Authorization Act for 
     Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118-31).
       (d) Increase.--The amount specified in E-10, line 470 for 
     the Office of the Secretary of Defense is hereby increased by 
     $5,000,000, with the amount of such increase to be used to 
     carry out the plan and cost estimate required under 
     subsection (a).
       (e) Offset.--The amount specified in D-10, line 1 of the 
     Airland Mark is hereby decreased by $5,000,000.

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