WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Crenshaw, ranking member of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Oversight, Management and Accountability, and subcommittee chairwoman Congresswoman Xochitl Torres Small (D-NM-2) introduced the Securing America’s Ports Act, a bipartisan bill to improve border security through enhanced detection technology at land ports of entry.
“As the frontline of defense against terrorists and traffickers trying to enter our country, Customs and Border Protection has an incredibly important job,” said Crenshaw. “It is our job as members of the Homeland Security Committee to ensure CBP has the resources it needs to successfully do its job. Because NII has proven to be an effective and efficient tool for CBP, it’s important we implement use of this technology at every land port of entry for every vehicle seeking to enter the U.S.”
“Our community relies upon a vibrant, secure border and Congress must prioritize the safety of the residents who call it home,” said Torres Small. “By leveraging this effective technology to examine most vehicles, we help CBP officers work smarter and faster in detecting contraband while facilitating the flow of legitimate trade and travel border states depend on.”
Background
The Securing America’s Ports Act aims to increase the scanning rate of commercial and passenger vehicles entering the United States at land ports of entry with large-scale non-intrusive inspection (NII) systems, which can scan vehicles for contraband without physically opening or unloading them.
The bill seeks to improve the use of this highly effective technology by requiring the Secretary of Homeland Security to develop a plan to increase NII scanning rates to 100 percent of all vehicles at points of entry and provide annual reports to Congress of improvement efforts. Additionally, it would require the Secretary to carry out a one-year pilot program to research and develop enhancements to NII systems and improve utilization of NII.
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