S.Amdt. 336

SA 336. Mr. CRUZ submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by
him to the bill S. 2226, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year
2024 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy,
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

At the appropriate place, add the following:

SEC. ___. PERMITTING FOR INTERNATIONAL BRIDGES.

The International Bridge Act of 1972 (33 U.S.C. 535 et
seq.) is amended--
(1) by redesignating sections 7 through 10 as sections 8
through 11, respectively; and
(2) by inserting after section 5 the following:

``SEC. 6. PERMITTING FOR INTERNATIONAL BRIDGES.

``(a) Definitions.--In this section and section 7:
``(1) Presidential permit.--
``(A) In general.--The term `Presidential permit' means--
``(i) an approval by the President to construct, maintain,
and operate an international bridge under section 4; or
``(ii) an approval by the President to construct, maintain,
and operate an international bridge pursuant to a process
described in Executive Order 13867 (84 Fed. Reg. 15491;
relating to Issuance of Permits With Respect to Facilities
and Land Transportation Crossings at the International
Boundaries of the United States) (or any successor Executive
Order).
``(B) Inclusion.--The term `Presidential permit' includes
an amendment to an approval described in clause (i) or (ii)
of subparagraph (A).
``(2) Secretary.--The term `Secretary' means the Secretary
of State.
``(b) Application.--An applicant for a Presidential permit
to construct, maintain, and operate an international bridge
shall submit an application for the permit to the Secretary.
``(c) Recommendation.--
``(1) In general.--Not later than 60 days after the date on
which the Secretary receives an application under subsection
(b), the Secretary shall make a recommendation to the
President--
``(A) to grant the Presidential permit; or
``(B) to deny the Presidential permit.
``(2) Consideration.--The sole basis for a recommendation
under paragraph (1) shall be whether the international bridge
is in the foreign policy interests of the United States.
``(d) Presidential Action.--
``(1) In general.--The President shall grant or deny the
Presidential permit by not later than 60 days after the
earlier of--
``(A) the date on which the Secretary makes a
recommendation under subsection (c)(1); and
``(B) the date on which the Secretary is required to make a
recommendation under subsection (c)(1).
``(2) No action.--If the President does not grant or deny
the Presidential permit by the deadline described in
paragraph (1), the Presidential permit shall be considered to
have been granted as of that deadline.
``(e) No NEPA Documents Required.--Notwithstanding any
other provision of law, the Secretary shall not require an
applicant for a Presidential permit--
``(1) to include in the application under subsection (b)
environmental documents prepared pursuant to the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.); or
``(2) to have completed any environmental review under that
Act.

``SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF CERTAIN INTERNATIONAL BRIDGES.

``(a) In General.--An applicant for a Presidential permit
for an international bridge described in subsection (b)--
``(1) may construct, operate, and maintain that bridge if
the applicant submits to the Secretary an application for a
Presidential permit for the bridge during the period
beginning on December 1, 2020, and ending on December 31,
2024; and
``(2) shall be considered to have been granted a
Presidential permit for that bridge as of the date of
enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act for
Fiscal Year 2024.
``(b) International Bridges Described.--The international
bridges referred to in subsection (a) are--
``(1) international bridges in Webb County, Texas;
``(2) an international bridge in Cameron County, Texas; and
``(3) an international bridge in Maverick County, Texas.''.
______