[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2367 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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118th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 2367
To improve border security through regular assessments and evaluations
of the Checkpoint Program Management Office and effective training of
U.S. Border Patrol agents regarding drug seizures.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 19, 2023
Mr. Scott of Florida (for himself and Ms. Sinema) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To improve border security through regular assessments and evaluations
of the Checkpoint Program Management Office and effective training of
U.S. Border Patrol agents regarding drug seizures.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLES.
This Act may be cited as the ``Continuing High-quality Evaluations
of Concerning and Known Persons Of Interest through National Training
updates Act'' or the ``CHECKPOINT Act''.
SEC. 2. IMPROVING BORDER SECURITY.
(a) Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.--
(1) Triennial assessments and evaluations.--Not less
frequently than once every 3 years, the Commissioner of U.S.
Customs and Border Protection shall--
(A) in consultation with the Office of Intelligence
and Analysis, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection
National Targeting Center, and other relevant
intelligence or law enforcement components of the
Department of Homeland Security, assess the drug type
categories available in the U.S. Customs and Border
Protection data systems to determine if such categories
adequately reflect the drug smuggling scenarios
encountered by U.S. Customs and Border Protection
officers and agents;
(B) evaluate the drug seizures portion of the
National Field Training Program to ensure proper
classification and recording of seized narcotics, such
as fentanyl, methamphetamine and counterfeit
prescription drugs; and
(C) assess the effectiveness of U.S. Customs and
Border Protection efforts to combat human smuggling.
(2) Checkpoint program management office.--The Chief, U.S.
Border Patrol shall--
(A) update the roles and responsibilities of the
Checkpoint Program Management Office and disseminate
the updated roles and responsibilities to all of the
U.S. Border Patrol agents in each Border Patrol sector;
and
(B) develop and regularly update the policies and
procedures for immigration checkpoint oversight
activities of the Checkpoint Program Management Office.
(3) U.S. border patrol immigration checkpoints.--The Chief,
U.S. Border Patrol shall--
(A) implement the Border Enforcement Secondary Tool
at immigration checkpoints, wherever feasible, or
implement any subsequent replacement program; and
(B) require that secondary checkpoints use all
approved surveillance technologies, whenever feasible,
such as adopting license plate readers and installing
closed circuit televisions.
(b) Executive Assistant Commissioner, Office of Field Operations.--
The Executive Assistant Commissioner, Office of Field Operations,
shall--
(1) finalize and implement a plan to regularly evaluate the
drug seizures portion of the Post-Academy Program; and
(2) regularly update the plan materials.
(c) Assistant Commissioner, Office of Intelligence.--The Assistant
Commissioner, Office of Intelligence, shall--
(1) establish the Southern Border Intelligence Center to
develop the understanding of the threat in the environment
along the international border between the United States and
Mexico and report annually to Congress regarding the threat
situation along such border;
(2) increase the capabilities of the CBP Intelligence Watch
and the CBP Joint Processing and Operations Center to provide
continuous support to combating transnational criminal
organizations and submit an annual report to Congress on the
status of such efforts;
(3) develop an intelligence research specialist career
path, training requirements, and intelligence enterprise
training academy to support border security, counter narcotic,
and checkpoint operations; and
(4) require that all intelligence research specialists are
trained to the applicable performance standards and submit an
annual report to Congress regarding the status of the
intelligence professional workforce.
SEC. 3. ANNUAL REPORT.
The Chief, U.S. Border Patrol shall submit an annual report to
Congress that describes the actions undertaken to ensure that--
(1) the Checkpoint Program Management Office, in
coordination with U.S. Border Patrol sectors, is overseeing the
consistent and accurate recording of immigration checkpoint
activity data, including data regarding--
(A) apprehensions at checkpoints, including
smuggled people;
(B) canine assists with drug seizures;
(C) seizures of trace amounts of marijuana;
(D) drug seizures, including drug seizures
involving fentanyl mixed with another drug and drug
seizures of counterfeit drugs;
(E) non-drug property seizures; and
(F) attempted checkpoint circumventions;
(2) U.S. Border Patrol uses its data system to document
information about all people for whom a checkpoint encounter
leads to a subsequent enforcement action; and
(3) the Checkpoint Program Management Office--
(A) receives sustained oversight from the Office of
the Chief, U.S. Border Patrol;
(B) is held accountable for implementing its
checkpoint oversight responsibilities; and
(C) is consistently and adequately staffed.
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