[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1362 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
108th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1362
To authorize the Port Passenger Accelerated Service System (PortPASS)
as a permanent program for land border inspection under the Immigration
and Nationality Act, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
June 26, 2003
Mrs. Boxer introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize the Port Passenger Accelerated Service System (PortPASS)
as a permanent program for land border inspection under the Immigration
and Nationality Act, 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 ``Secure and Fast Entry at the Border
Act of 2003'' or the ``SAFE Border Act of 2003'' .
SEC. 2. PORTPASS PROGRAM.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) Port Passenger Accelerated Service System (PortPASS) is
a group of pre-inspection technology programs used at ports of
entry to facilitate the speedy passage of low-risk travelers.
(2) Ports of entry constitute vital links in our Nation's
economic and social life.
(3) Southern and northern land border inspections combined
comprise over 80 percent of the total number of inspections
performed at all ports of entry.
(4) PortPASS programs strengthen our borders without
impeding legitimate traffic needed for our Nation's economic
health.
(5) Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid
Inspection (SENTRI), a PortPASS program, incorporates an
extensive screening process to move pre-screened, low-risk
travelers quickly and safely through the inspection process
while preserving border security. There are currently over
45,000 SENTRI participants.
(6) PortPASS programs must expand their existing
infrastructure to meet border management issues. The success
and effectiveness of the programs demonstrate they are
deserving of increased resource allocation to meet growth and
security challenges.
(b) Amendment to Immigration and Nationality Act.--Section
286(q)(1)(A) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.
1356(q)(1)(A)) is amended adding at the end the following:
``(iv) The Port Passenger Accelerated Service System (PortPASS) is
authorized as a permanent land border inspection project under this
subparagraph.''.
(c) SENTRI Participation Approvals.--
(1) Extension of validity of sentri approvals for
participation.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, and
beginning not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of
this Act, approval shall be issued for participation in the
Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection
(SENTRI), carried out by the Bureau of Citizenship and
Immigration Services within the Department of Homeland
Security, for non-commercial vehicle border crossers. Such
approval shall be valid for not less than 2 years.
(2) Preclusion of certain persons.--Any person convicted of
a felony or under active criminal investigation shall be
prohibited from participating in the Secure Electronic Network
for Travelers Rapid Inspection (SENTRI) program.
(d) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of the Congress that--
(1) the Department of Homeland Security must ensure the
permanence of the Port Passenger Accelerated Service System
(PortPASS) in the transition of PortPASS from the Department of
Justice to the Department of Homeland Security;
(2) all land PortPASS programs should utilize interoperable
technology to offer program enrollees increased access at all
participating dedicated commuter lanes;
(3) the Secretary of Homeland Security should--
(A) appoint dedicated staff with appropriate
training and instruction to the Secure Electronic
Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection (SENTRI)
program;
(B) increase staffing under the SENTRI program for
actual inspections and necessary administrative tasks;
and
(C) allocate greater resources to the program to
facilitate and expedite the processing of applications
for SENTRI; and
(4) the Secretary of Homeland Security should create a pre-
inspection low-risk traveler dedicated commuter lane for
pedestrian land border crossers.
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