[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 139 (Monday, September 9, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H5065-H5066]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    SUBTERRANEAN BORDER DEFENSE ACT

  Mr. GIMENEZ. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 7404) to require annual reports on counter illicit cross-
border tunnel operations, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 7404

       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 ``Subterranean Border Defense 
     Act''.

     SEC. 2. ANNUAL REPORTS ON COUNTER ILLICIT CROSS-BORDER TUNNEL 
                   OPERATIONS.

       Paragraph (2) of section 7134(a) of the James M. Inhofe 
     National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 
     (Public Law 117-263; 6 U.S.C. 257 note) is amended by 
     inserting ``and annually thereafter'' after ``development of 
     the strategic plan''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Gimenez) and the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Ivey) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida.


                             General Leave

  Mr. GIMENEZ. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on H.R. 7404, the bill now under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Florida?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. GIMENEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 7404, the Subterranean 
Border Defense Act.
  Due to President Biden, Vice President Harris, and Secretary 
Mayorkas' collective failures and refusal to secure our border, 
transnational criminal organizations are unchecked in their efforts to 
infiltrate into the United States.
  These illicit pathways into our country have only made it easier for 
criminals to bring their illegal business into the homeland, from human 
trafficking to drug smuggling deadly fentanyl and other drugs that are 
being funneled from nations afar, including Communist China.
  H.R. 7404 will require DHS to provide annual reports on its efforts 
to counter illicit tunnel operations.
  I commend the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Crane) for his leadership 
on this effort and urge strong support for the measure.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1715

  Mr. IVEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill because we should have 
more oversight and information on the threat of tunnels going under our 
borders and the actions our government is taking to counter them.
  Tunnels are used by transnational criminal organizations looking to 
make a profit, and most of the people using them are not Chinese.
  Over the past 30 years, cartels have created illegal tunnels under 
border walls and barriers to smuggle people and drugs into this country 
and send out money and firearms, including assault weapons.
  Since 1990, law enforcement has discovered more than 230 tunnels 
across U.S. borders.
  These tunnels can be sophisticated. In 2019, CBP discovered a tunnel 
near the San Diego, California, and Tijuana, Mexico, border that was 
over three-quarters of a mile long.
  This bill simply creates an annual reporting requirement to keep 
Congress informed on the DHS' efforts to counter illicit cross-border 
tunnels and hold bad actors accountable.
  The information this bipartisan piece of legislation requires will 
help inform Congress of the situation on the border and what 
authorities or resources might be needed.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GIMENEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Crane), the author of this legislation.
  Mr. CRANE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak in favor of my bill, 
the Subterranean Border Defense Act, a bipartisan piece of border 
security legislation that I have introduced alongside Congressman 
Correa from California.
  Effective border security is created by overlapping deterrents. That 
is something we are desperately lacking at our border.
  The Subterranean Border Defense Act would help us address the growing 
threat of illicit cross-border tunnels by requiring annual reports to 
Congress on counter-tunnel operations, fortifying our security system 
at the border.

[[Page H5066]]

  Put simply, this would help us ensure that Congress has the necessary 
data to forge another much-needed layer of defense.
  As transnational criminal organizations continue to grow in both size 
and sophistication, illicit cross-border tunnels along the southwest 
border of the United States represent a significant and growing threat 
to national security.
  Congress must address this deadly threat and ensure U.S. Customs and 
Border Protection has the resources needed to acquire counter-tunnel 
technology.
  Since 1990, officials have discovered more than 140 tunnels that have 
breached the U.S. border with an 80 percent increase in tunnel activity 
occurring since 2008.
  Over the years, CBP has worked to combat these tunnels as part of 
their overall strategy. In fact, the United States conducts research, 
development, and test activities with Israel who must contend with a 
vast network of Hamas tunnels originating in the Gaza Strip. This 
partnership helps us detect and destroy tunnels in our respective 
countries.
  The FY23 NDAA mandated that CBP submit a one-time report to Congress 
on a strategic plan for countering illicit cross-border tunnel 
operations.
  This singular report has since led Congress to conduct critical 
oversight and has enabled CBP to formalize many of the processes, 
technologies, and resources needed to counteract illegal tunnels under 
the U.S.-Mexico border.
  My bill would expand on this success by mandating a report every year 
going forward to ensure Congress has sufficient knowledge and oversight 
regarding this dynamic threat.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to 
support this legislation for a secure southern border.
  Mr. GIMENEZ. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, I am prepared 
to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. IVEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Mr. Speaker, I believe this bill is a step in the right direction.
  Receiving information from the Department of Homeland Security on an 
annual basis will improve Congress' efforts to counter illicit cross-
border tunnels and hold bad actors accountable.
  I support this bipartisan piece of legislation, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. GIMENEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the bipartisan 
Subterranean Border Defense Act, and I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Gimenez) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 7404.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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