House Bill Would Require Upgrades to Port-of-Entry License Plate Readers, Expansion of Inspection Lanes
House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, on July 28 introduced legislation that would require the Department of Homeland Security to upgrade license plate readers at all ports of entry and to expand inspection lanes at high-volume ports of entry on the southern border. The Border Security for America Act would require CBP to upgrade the readers within one year of enactment, and for the CBP commissioner “not later than 90 days after” enactment to conduct a one-month pilot at the top three southern land ports of entry. The pilots would be tasked with testing the readers at one or two cargo lanes to determine effectiveness in reducing cross-border wait times for commercial traffic and tractor-trailers. The bill would authorize $125 million to be appropriated in fiscal year 2018 for the pilots, and would require DHS within 180 days of enactment to report to Congress on the pilots’ results and any recommendations for implementing the use of new license plate reader technology on the southern border.
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The legislation would also require DHS to expand primary and secondary inspection lanes for vehicle and cargo inbound and outbound inspection lanes at the top 10 high-volume ports of entry on the southern border no later than Sept. 30, 2021. Further, the bill would give DHS the authority to construct new ports of entry along the U.S.’s northern and southern borders, but only after DHS expands inspection lanes at the top 10 southern ports of entry “to the extent practicable.” The legislation would direct DHS by Sept. 30, 2021, to increase its number of customs officers by 5,000, which would result in a force of 27,725, and to place an additional 300 canines along the northern and southern borders, according to a section-by-section summary.