[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4998 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4998
To direct the Secretary of Homeland Security and heads of related
agencies to construct and staff passenger rail preclearance facilities
in the United States, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
August 10, 2021
Mr. Higgins of New York introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the
Committees on Ways and Means, and Transportation and Infrastructure,
for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case
for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of
the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Homeland Security and heads of related
agencies to construct and staff passenger rail preclearance facilities
in the United States, and for other purposes.
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 ``Passenger Rail Preclearance
Implementation Act of 2021''.
SEC. 2. REPORT TO CONGRESS.
Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act,
the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the
Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration, the
Secretary of Transportation, heads of other appropriate Federal
departments and agencies, and Amtrak shall transmit a report to
Congress that contains--
(1) a description of the system for screening passengers
and baggage on passenger rail service between the United States
and Canada;
(2) an update on the progress of the United States and
Canada in implementing preclearance, as defined in the
Agreement on Land, Rail, Marine, and Air Transport Preclearance
Between the Government of the United States of America and the
Government of Canada signed at Washington, DC, on March 16,
2015 (hereinafter referred to as the ``2015 LRMA Treaty''), for
passenger rail travel;
(3) a description of any legislative, regulatory,
budgetary, or policy barriers within the Federal Government to
providing preclearance for travelers at rail stations and other
transportation facilities within the United States;
(4) a description of the physical, logistical, and
budgetary barriers within the United States to constructing
preclearance facilities and preclearance areas at
transportation facilities as defined in the 2015 LRMA Treaty;
and
(5) a draft text of any changes in Federal law or
regulation, including budgetary sums necessary, necessary to
provide for end-to-end preclearance for passenger rail travel
between the United States and Canada.
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF RAIL PRECLEARANCE NEGOTIATIONS.
(a) Preclearance Officers.--Pursuant to section 629(a) of the
Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1629(a)), the Secretary of Homeland
Security shall seek permission from the Government of Canada to station
preclearance officers at transportation facilities at the point of
origination of transportation between Canada and the United States for
the purpose of passenger rail preclearance inspections.
(b) Foreign Customs Officers.--Pursuant to section 629(e) of the
Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1629(e)), the Secretary of State,
Secretary of Homeland Security, and Secretary of Agriculture, shall
invite foreign customs officers from Canada to the United States for
the purposes of passenger rail preclearance to rail stations and
transportation facilities in the United States that are identified in
section 4(a).
SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF PRECLEARANCE FACILITIES.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Homeland Security, the Secretary
of Transportation, Amtrak, and the heads of other relevant agencies
shall, in consultation with the Government of Canada, identify all rail
stations and transportation facilities in the United States and Canada
necessary to carry out passenger rail preclearance operations.
(b) Cost-Sharing Agreements.--The Secretary of Transportation and
the Secretary of Homeland Security may enter into cost-sharing
agreements with other Federal departments and agencies, State and local
authorities, and the Government of Canada to make necessary
infrastructure upgrades and staffing requirements at rail stations and
transportation facilities in the United States and Canada identified in
subsection (a) to carry out passenger rail preclearance operations.
(c) Funding.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Transportation may expend
$10,000,000 of the amounts made available to carry out section
22907 of title 49, United States Code, for the establishment
and implementation of agreements to facilitate rail
preclearance pursuant to this Act.
(2) Authorization of appropriations.--Section 22906 of
title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end
the following:
``(6) For fiscal years 2022 through 2026, $650,000,000.''.
<all>