[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 186 (Monday, December 16, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H7209-H7210]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
REDUCING EXCESSIVE VETTING AUTHORITIES TO MAINTAIN OUR PORTS ACT
Mr. TONY GONZALES of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules
and pass the bill (H.R. 8150) to require the Commissioner of U.S.
Customs and Border Protection to establish procedures for conducting
maintenance projects at ports of entry at which the Office of Field
Operations conducts certain enforcement and facilitation activities, as
amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 8150
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 ``Reducing Excessive Vetting
Authorities to Maintain our Ports Act'' or the ``REVAMP
Act''.
SEC. 2. PORT MAINTENANCE.
(a) In General.--Section 411(o) of the Homeland Security
Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 211(o)) is amended--
(1) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (4); and
(2) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following new
paragraph:
``(3) Port maintenance.--
``(A) Procedures.--
``(i) In general.--Notwithstanding section 3305 of title
40, United States Code, subject to subparagraph (B), the
Commissioner, in consultation with the Administrator of
General Services--
``(I) shall establish guidance and procedures by which U.S.
Customs and Border Protection may conduct maintenance and
repair projects costing not more than $300,000 in the
physical space at any Federal Government-owned port of entry
at which the Office of Field Operations performs any of the
activities described in subparagraphs (A) through (G) of
subsection (g)(3); and
``(II) is authorized to perform such maintenance and repair
projects, subject to the procedures described in clause (ii).
``(ii) Guidance and procedures described.--The guidance and
procedures established pursuant to clause (i) shall include--
``(I) a description of the types of projects that may be
carried out pursuant to clause (i); and
``(II) the procedures for identifying and addressing any
impacts on other tenants of facilities where such projects
will be carried out.
``(iii) Publication of guidance and procedures.--The
guidance and procedures established pursuant to clause (i)
shall be published in the Federal Register.
``(iv) Rule of construction.--The publication of guidance
and procedures under clause (iii) shall not impact the
authority of the Commissioner to update such procedures, in
consultation with the Administrator, as appropriate.
``(B) Limitation.--The authority under subparagraph (A)
shall only be available for maintenance and repair projects
involving existing infrastructure, property, and capital at
any port of entry described in such subparagraph.
``(C) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this paragraph may
be construed to affect the availability of funding from--
``(i) the Federal Buildings Fund established under section
592 of title 40, United States Code;
``(ii) the Donation Acceptance Program established under
section 482; or
[[Page H7210]]
``(iii) any other statutory authority or appropriation for
projects described in subparagraph (A).''.
(b) Reporting.--
(1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of
the enactment of this Act and annually thereafter, the
Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection shall
submit to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental
Affairs of the Senate, the Committee on Appropriations of the
Senate, the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of
Representatives, and the Committee on Appropriations of the
House of Representatives a report that includes the elements
described in paragraph (2).
(2) Elements.--The elements described in this paragraph are
the following:
(A) A summary of all maintenance projects conducted
pursuant to section 411(o)(3) of the Homeland Security Act of
2002, as added by subsection (a) during the prior fiscal
year.
(B) Information relating to the cost of each project
referred to in subparagraph (A) of such section.
(C) An identification of the account that funded each such
project, if applicable.
(D) any budgetary transfers, if applicable, that funded
each such project.
(c) Technical Amendment.--Section 422(a) of the Homeland
Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 232(a)) is amended by
inserting ``section 411(o)(3) of this Act and'' after
``Administrator under''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Tony Gonzales) and the gentleman from California (Mr.
Correa) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.
General Leave
Mr. TONY GONZALES of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that
all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend
their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 8150.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Texas?
There was no objection.
Mr. TONY GONZALES of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as
I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of my bipartisan bill, H.R.
8150, the Reducing Excessive Vetting Authorities to Maintain our Ports
Act.
Land ports of entry are a critical line of defense against fentanyl,
drugs, and other illicit contraband that have plagued our communities.
Our ports of entry also bring in billions of dollars' worth of trade
into our economy and serve as a lifeline for many cities along the
border.
To help Customs officers carry out their mission, our international
bridges must be kept in the best shape possible. My bill does just that
by reducing the bureaucracy that is required to repair and maintain our
ports of entry.
While the GSA has the primary authority to maintain our Federal
facilities, there is a significant backlog for these projects and our
ports of entry are no exception.
Currently, the GSA grants CBP the ability to perform limited repair
projects if the cost is less than $100,000. Delegating this authority
saves everyone time, and we all know that time is money.
My commonsense legislation would simply increase that number from
$100,000 to a $300,000 threshold so that more of these minor projects
at our ports of entry can be done quickly and efficiently.
This helps trade, this helps our taxpayers, and this helps our
Customs personnel that work so hard to secure our borders.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 8150, the
REVAMP Act, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CORREA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 8150, which allows Customs and
Border Protection to make low-cost maintenance repairs at our ports of
entry without involving the General Service Administration.
It makes sense to allow CBP to carry out expedited low-cost repairs
needed to facilitate their operations at our ports of entry. We should
not let minor maintenance issues slow down or disrupt legal trade and
travel through our ports of entry. I am proud to be an original
cosponsor of this legislation, which eliminates red tape.
I thank Representative Gonzales for leading this important
initiative. This is a commonsense bill, Mr. Speaker. It allows CBP to
carry out low-cost repairs needed to facilitate the operations at our
ports of entry.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support this measure, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. TONY GONZALES of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to
support H.R. 8150, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Tony Gonzales) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 8150, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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