S.Amdt. 2011

SA 2011. Mr. HEINRICH (for himself and Mr. Udall) submitted an
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 2579, to
amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow the premium tax credit
with respect to unsubsidized COBRA continuation coverage; which was
ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

At the appropriate place, insert the following:

SEC. __. BORDER SECURITY ENHANCEMENTS IN MOUNTAINOUS, HIGH
DESERT, AND BACKCOUNTRY TERRAIN.

(a) In General.--The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and
Border Protection shall--
(1) acquire and deploy such additional horses and off-road
vehicles, including all-terrain vehicles, as may be necessary
to provide for enhanced security in mountainous, high desert,
and backcountry areas near the international border between
the United States and Mexico;
(2) increase the use of advanced detection and surveillance
technology in the areas described in paragraph (1);
(3) acquire fixed and mobile technology assets, including
night vision goggles;
(4) increase and improve interoperable communications that
are LTE-capable;
(5) increase mountain patrols to gain and enhance domain
awareness;
(6) increase and upgrade facilities to the extent necessary
to accommodate personnel and asset needs;
(7) perform any maintenance and care that may be necessary
to preserve the operational capability of all mountainous,
high desert, and backcountry assets; and
(8) hire and deploy additional personnel, as necessary--
(A) to enhance border security in mountainous, high desert,
and backcountry areas near the international border between
the United States and Mexico; and
(B) to successfully carry out the related duties of U.S.
Customs and Border Protection set forth in section 211 of the
Homeland Security Act of 2002 (5 U.S.C. 411).

[[Page S1125]]

(b) Requirements.--In carrying out subsection (a), the
Commissioner shall--
(1) consult with agents in the field;
(2) prioritize the deployment of such technology based on
the needs of remote stations in mountainous, high desert, and
backcountry areas near the international border between the
United States and Mexico.
(c) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Commissioner shall submit a report
to the appropriate congressional committees that describes
the implementation of subsection (a), including--
(1) the assets deployed in mountainous, high desert, and
backcountry areas near the international border between the
United States and Mexico; and
(2) the expenditures incurred to acquire and deploy such
assets.
(d) Agent Mobility Demonstration Program.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall
establish a 5-year pilot program in the El Paso Sector, to be
known as the ``Agent Mobility Program'', under which agents
assigned within the El Paso Sector may laterally transfer to
a designated, hard-to-fill station within the El Paso sector
for a period of at least 3 years.
(2) Completion of service.--Any agent who completes 3 years
of service at a hard-to-fill station to which he or she
transferred under the program established under paragraph
(1)--
(A) shall be presented to the selecting officer as a
preferred agent; and
(B) shall be eligible to transfer to 1 of 3 border patrol
stations in the El Paso Sector of their choice that has an
opening at the time of such transfer.
(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--In addition to
amounts otherwise authorized to be appropriated, there is
authorized to be appropriated, to U.S. Customs and Border
Protection, such sums as may be necessary to carry out this
section.
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