H.R. 6400House115th Congress (2017-2019)Enacted

United States Ports of Entry Threat and Operational Review Act

Introduced July 17, 2018

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 15, 2026 at 11:10 PM UTC

The United States Ports of Entry Threat and Operational Review Act requires the Department of Homeland Security, through Customs and Border Protection, to evaluate security threats and operational performance at all U.S. air, land, and sea ports of entry. Within 180 days a detailed threat and operational analysis must be delivered to congressional committees, and within 270 days a strategic plan to address those findings must be submitted and updated every five years for ten years. The bill aims to improve security, reduce wait times, and enhance staffing, technology, and anti‑corruption measures at ports of entry.

Key Provisions

  • Within 180 days of enactment, DHS/CBP must submit a threat and operational analysis covering current and potential threats, methods used to exploit vulnerabilities, needed security and efficiency improvements, and opportunities for non‑law‑enforcement staffing or automation.
  • The analysis must assess personnel (including K‑9 units), technology (e.g., radiation monitors), infrastructure needs, and associated costs for each port of entry.
  • Within 270 days, DHS/CBP must deliver a ports‑of‑entry strategy and implementation plan, and repeat this submission every five years for a total of three updates over ten years.
  • The strategy must outline actions to mitigate identified threats, reduce wait times, prevent unlawful movement of people, drugs, and contraband, focus intelligence on transnational criminal groups, ensure new technology integrates with existing systems, and set standards for measuring effectiveness.
  • It also requires plans for staffing, fraud detection, and corruption prevention at ports of entry.

Legislative Activity

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20 earlier actions
Became Law Latest Action

Became Public Law No: 115-372.

December 21, 2018

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

July 17, 2018

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Homeland Security, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

July 17, 2018

HouseCommittee

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

July 24, 2018

HouseCommittee

Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.

July 24, 2018

HouseCommittee

Approved Further Amendments To Measure Previously Reported.

July 24, 2018

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Trade.

July 25, 2018

HouseCommittee

Reported by the Committee on Homeland Security. H. Rept. 115-914, Part I.

September 4, 2018

HouseFloor

Mrs. Lesko moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

September 4, 2018 • 7:35 PM

HouseFloor

Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR S7811-7813)

September 4, 2018 • 7:35 PM

HouseFloor

DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 6400.

September 4, 2018 • 7:35 PM

HouseFloor

Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H7811-7812)

September 4, 2018 • 7:42 PM

HouseFloor

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H7811-7812)

September 4, 2018 • 7:42 PM

HouseFloor

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

September 4, 2018 • 7:42 PM

SenateIntro Referral

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

September 5, 2018

SenateCommittee

Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.(consideration: CR S7896)

December 19, 2018

SenateDischarge

Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S7896)

December 19, 2018

SenateFloor

Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.

December 19, 2018

SenateFloor

Message on Senate action sent to the House.

December 20, 2018

President

Presented to President.

December 21, 2018

Became Law

Signed by President.

December 21, 2018

Became Law

Became Public Law No: 115-372.

December 21, 2018

Floor Debate

3 members

What members said about H.R. 6400 on the floor

2 Republicans1 Democrat
Debbie Lesko
Rep. Debbie LeskoR-AZ-8 · Sep 4, 2018

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6400) to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to conduct a threat and operational analysis of ports of entry, and for other…

Bonnie Watson Coleman
Rep. Bonnie Watson ColemanD-NJ-12 · Sep 4, 2018

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6400, the United States Ports of Entry Threat and Operational Review Act. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 6400 would…

John Cornyn
Sen. John CornynR-TX · Dec 19, 2018

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 6400 and the Senate proceed to its immediate…

Bill Text

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Enrolled BillPublication date not provided

One Hundred Fifteenth Congress of the United States of America

At the Second Session

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Wednesday, the third day of January, two thousand and eighteen

H. R. 6400

AN ACT

To require the Secretary of Homeland Security to conduct a threat and operational analysis of ports of entry, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the United States Ports of Entry Threat and Operational Review Act.

2.

Ports of entry threat and operational analysis

(a)

In general

(1)

Requirement

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security and the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and the Committee on Finance of the Senate a threat and operational analysis of ports of entry.

(2)

Contents

The threat and operational analysis required under paragraph (1) shall include an assessment of the following:

(A)

Current and potential threats posed by individuals and organized groups seeking—

(i)

to exploit security vulnerabilities at ports of entry; or

(ii)

to unlawfully enter the United States through such ports of entry.

(B)

Methods and pathways used to exploit security vulnerabilities at ports of entry.

(C)

Improvements needed at ports of entry to prevent the unlawful movement of people, illicit drugs, and other contraband across the borders of the United States.

(D)

Improvements needed to enhance travel and trade facilitation and reduce wait times at ports of entry, including—

(i)

security vulnerabilities associated with prolonged wait times;

(ii)

current technology at ports of entry that can be adapted to handle more volume, increase efficiency, and improve accuracy of detection efforts; and

(iii)

infrastructure additions and upgrades.

(E)

Processes conducted at ports of entry that do not require law enforcement training and could be—

(i)

filled with—

(I)

non-law enforcement staff; or

(II)

the private sector, for processes or activities determined to not be inherently governmental (as such term is defined in section 5 of the Federal Activities Inventory Reform Act of 1998 (Public Law 105–270)); or

(ii)

automated.

(3)

Analysis requirements

In compiling the threat and operational analysis required under paragraph (1), the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, shall consider and examine the following:

(A)

Personnel needs, including K–9 Units, and estimated costs, at each port of entry, including such needs and challenges associated with recruitment and hiring.

(B)

Technology needs, including radiation portal monitors and non-intrusive inspection technology, and estimated costs at each port of entry.

(C)

Infrastructure needs and estimated costs at each port of entry.

(b)

Ports of entry strategy and implementation plan

(1)

In general

Not later than 270 days after the submission of the threat and operational analysis required under subsection (a) and every 5 years thereafter for 10 years, the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), shall provide to the Committee on Homeland Security and the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and the Committee on Finance of the Senate a ports of entry strategy and implementation plan.

(2)

Contents

The ports of entry strategy and implementation plan required under paragraph (1) shall include a consideration of the following:

(A)

The ports of entry threat and operational analysis required under subsection (a), with an emphasis on efforts to mitigate threats and challenges identified in such analysis.

(B)

Efforts to reduce wait times at ports of entry and standards against which the effectiveness of such efforts may be determined.

(C)

Efforts to prevent the unlawful movement of people, illicit drugs, and other contraband across the borders of the United States at the earliest possible point at ports of entry and standards against which the effectiveness of such efforts may be determined.

(D)

Efforts to focus intelligence collection and information analysis to disrupt transnational criminal organizations attempting to exploit vulnerabilities at ports of entry and standards against which the effectiveness of such efforts may be determined.

(E)

Efforts to verify that any new port of entry technology acquisition can be operationally integrated with existing technologies in use by the Department of Homeland Security.

(F)

Lessons learned from reports on the business transformation initiative under section 802(i)(1) of the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015 (Public Law 114–125).

(G)

CBP staffing requirements for all ports of entry.

(H)

Efforts to identify and detect fraudulent documents at ports of entry and standards against which the effectiveness of such efforts may be determined.

(I)

Efforts to prevent, detect, investigate, and mitigate corruption at ports of entry and standards against which the effectiveness of such efforts may be determined.

(c)

Ports of entry described

In this section, the term ports of entry means United States air, land, and sea ports of entry.

Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Vice President of the United States and President of the Senate.