H.R. 10845: Port Staffing Reporting Act

This bill would require the Secretary of Homeland Security, working with the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Administrator of General Services, to produce a report on how air, land, and sea ports of entry are being managed.

What the report would cover

The first report would be due within 90 days after the bill becomes law, and it would be updated annually after that. The report would go to the House Committee on Homeland Security and the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

The report would include information about:

• How many staff are working at ports of entry and whether more staff are needed.
• How many temporary duty assignments were used in the previous fiscal year, and how long each one lasted.
• The average length of travel delays, if any.
• How staff shortages affect the ability of land border ports to keep all vehicle lanes open.
• Current border security and trade-facilitation tools and technologies, and their effects on civil rights, civil liberties, private property rights, and privacy rights.
• The economic impact of Customs and Border Protection Agricultural Specialists and Office of Field Operations personnel on trade.
• Physical infrastructure needs and technology needs.
• The specific needs of ports of entry that are geographically separate but managed within the same CBP field office.

Follow-up briefing

Within 30 days after each report is submitted, the Secretary of Homeland Security would have to brief the same congressional committees on the report’s findings.

Practical effect

In practical terms, the bill would not directly change port operations by itself. Instead, it would require DHS to regularly collect and share information about staffing, delays, infrastructure, technology, and related trade and rights issues at U.S. ports of entry.

Relevant Companies

None found.