[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 105 (Tuesday, June 23, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Page S3078]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 5929. Mr. KELLY submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by
him to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year
2027 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. 1094. BORDER TRAVEL SAFETY.
(a) Short Title.--This section may be cited as the
``Nicholas Douglas Quets Border Travel Safety Act''.
(b) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) On October 18, 2024, while traveling from Arizona along
the southern border in the Mexican state of Sonora near
Puerto Penasco, Nicholas Quets was attacked and shot by armed
criminals associated with the Sinaloa Cartel at an
unauthorized cartel-controlled highway checkpoint, which
resulted in the tragic death of the 31-year-old American.
(2) The brutal murder of Nicholas Quets reflects the
ongoing threat posed by transnational criminal organizations
and cartel violence in the region.
(3) Nicholas Quets was shot while traveling along the
Altar-Caborca highway (Federal Highway 2) in Sonora, which is
frequently listed under a ``Reconsider Travel'' advisory due
to cartel activity in the area.
(4) The Department of State issues Travel Advisories to
inform United States citizens and other travelers of safety
and security risks in foreign countries and regions.
(5) Department of State Travel Advisories identify certain
foreign regions, including areas near United States land
borders, that present elevated safety or security risks due
to criminal activity, violence, kidnapping, or other threats.
(6) Individuals entering or departing the United States
through land ports of entry may not be aware that nearby
areas identified in Department of State Travel Advisories
pose heightened safety or security risks.
(7) Clear and visible signage at land ports of entry and
surrounding areas would improve traveler awareness of such
risks and promote public safety.
(c) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that
clear and visible signage displaying travel advisories at
land ports of entry along the land boundary between the
United States and Mexico are necessary to improve traveler
awareness of safety or security risks due to criminal
activity, violence, kidnapping, or other threats.
(d) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(A) the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental
Affairs of the Senate;
(B) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate;
(C) the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of
Representatives; and
(D) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of
Representatives.
(2) Land port of entry.--The term ``land port of entry''
means a port of entry along an international land border
between the United States and Mexico or Canada.
(3) Travel advisory.--The term ``Travel Advisory'' means
the country-specific or region-specific safety advisory
issued by the Department of State to inform travelers of
security risks abroad.
(e) Warning Signage for Travelers Near Land Ports of Entry
Along the Southern Border.--
(1) Establishment.--The Secretary of Homeland Security,
acting through the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border
Protection, and in consultation with the Secretary of State
and the Administrator of the General Services Administration,
shall establish and carry out a program to install and
maintain warning signage informing travelers of dangerous
areas or routes near the southern border of the United States
that have been identified in relevant Department of State
Travel Advisories.
(2) Responsibilities of secretary of state.--The Secretary
of State shall--
(A) identify areas or routes near the United States land
border with Mexico that are designated as dangerous in any
Department of State Travel Advisory;
(B) provide the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border
Protection with updated advisory information necessary for
the content of warning signage; and
(C) provide the Secretary of Homeland Security with the
appropriate content and messaging of such signage.
(3) Coordination.--In carrying out this section, the
Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the
Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, shall
coordinate with the Secretary of State, appropriate State
transportation and public safety agencies, and relevant
State, local, and tribal government officials.
(f) Placement of Signage.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Homeland Security, acting
through the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border
Protection, shall, to the maximum extent practicable,
install, maintain, and update warning signage described in
this section.
(2) Locations.--Warning signage developed pursuant to this
section shall be placed--
(A) at appropriate United States land ports of entry along
the border with Mexico, in coordination with relevant Mexican
authorities;
(B) on all roadways and routes approaching, and in areas
immediately adjacent to, such ports of entry where travelers
are likely to cross the international boundary;
(C) at any additional locations determined appropriate by
the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with
State and local transportation authorities, to ensure
adequate traveler awareness;
(D) in locations that are clearly visible to motorists and
pedestrians; and
(E) in sufficient proximity to allow travelers to make
informed travel decisions.
(3) Coordination with state and local authorities.--In
placing signage pursuant to this subsection, the Secretary of
Homeland Security shall coordinate with, and may enter into
agreements, as may be necessary, with--
(A) State departments of transportation;
(B) local government officials; and
(C) other appropriate authorities responsible for roadway
infrastructure near the international border of the United
States.
(4) Content of signage.--Signage required under this
section shall, to the maximum extent practicable--
(A) clearly warn travelers of nearby areas or routes
identified as dangerous in Department of State Travel
Advisories;
(B) provide a reference to additional safety information,
including the Department of State travel advisory website or
a QR code linking to such information;
(C) be displayed in a format that can be swiftly and easily
updated to reflect changes to applicable Department of State
Travel Advisories, and may include incident alerts from the
Department of State;
(D) be displayed in English and Spanish, and any additional
languages the Secretary, in consultation with the Department
of State, determines appropriate; and
(E) include any other safety information the Secretary of
State determines appropriate.
(g) Reviews and Updates.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Homeland Security, in
consultation with the Secretary of State, shall--
(A) annually review warning signage to ensure accuracy and
visibility; and
(B) update such signage as necessary to reflect changes in
Department of State Travel Advisories.
(2) Identification of critical changes.--The Secretary of
State shall notify the Secretary of Homeland Security
whenever critical changes have occurred that require warning
signage to be updated.
(h) Reports to Congress.--
(1) Implementation report.--Not later than 1 year after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland
Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the
Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, shall
submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees
that describes--
(A) the implementation of the signage program required
under this section;
(B) the locations where signage has been installed;
(C) plans for updating such signage; and
(D) any recommendations for improving traveler awareness of
dangerous areas identified in Travel Advisories.
(2) GAO report.--The Comptroller General of the United
States shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional
committees that--
(A) describes the efficacy of the travel advisory warnings
for travelers; and
(B) indicates whether there are modernizations to warning
delivery that the Department of State or the Department of
Homeland Security could undertake to ensure travelers have
adequate awareness to potential travel-related dangers.
(i) No Additional Appropriations.--
(1) No additional funds authorized.--No additional funds
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section.
(2) Use of existing resources.--The Secretary of Homeland
Security and the Secretary of State shall carry out their
respective responsibilities under this section using amounts
otherwise appropriated or made available to their respective
departments.
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