H.R. 1569: Contraband Awareness Technology Catches Harmful Fentanyl Act

This bill, known as the Contraband Awareness Technology Catches Harmful Fentanyl Act or the CATCH Fentanyl Act, aims to establish a pilot program to assess the use of advanced technologies for enhancing the inspection process at land ports of entry along the U.S. borders.

Overview of the Pilot Program

The Secretary of Homeland Security, coordinating with various departments, will launch pilot projects within one year of the bill's enactment. These projects will focus on testing and evaluating new technologies designed to:

• Improve the efficiency of cargo inspections;
• Assist U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel in detecting contraband, illegal drugs, weapons, and human smuggling;
• Utilize nonintrusive inspection technologies, such as X-ray or gamma-ray imaging equipment, to allow inspections without opening transport vehicles.

Technology Testing Requirements

The pilot projects will involve at least five types of nonintrusive inspection technology enhancements. These could include:

• Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• Machine learning
• High-performance computing
• Quantum information sciences
• Other emerging technologies

The objective is to identify the most effective technologies to enhance detection capabilities, increase inspection efficiency, and reduce wait times at U.S. borders.

Data Privacy Protections

The bill emphasizes the importance of protecting data privacy during the implementation of these technologies. This includes:

• Compliance with relevant privacy laws and regulations;
• Data anonymization techniques;
• Regular audits to ensure adherence to privacy standards.

Reporting and Assessment

After three years of operation and 180 days following the conclusion of the pilot projects, the Secretary of Homeland Security is required to submit a report to Congress. This report will analyze:

• The effectiveness of the tested technologies;
• Recommendations for utilizing successful technologies across all land ports of entry;
• A list of existing technologies currently used for inspections;
• Performance measures of the new systems compared with the current processes.

Impact on Existing Infrastructure

The pilot projects should work with existing inspection systems already implemented by CBP, and the goal is to integrate new technologies into the current workflows, addressing the limitations of older detection equipment.

Prohibition of Additional Appropriations

The act clarifies that no new funds will be authorized for carrying out its provisions, indicating that any implementation will need to rely on existing budget allocations.

Termination of the Pilot Projects

The pilot projects will conclude five years after the enactment of the bill, after which an evaluation of their outcomes will be performed.

Relevant Companies

• BA (Boeing): As a major player in defense and aerospace, Boeing may be impacted due to potential contracts or technologies developed for border security inspections.
• RTX (Raytheon Technologies): Raytheon provides advanced security technologies that could be integrated into the new inspection systems.
• ISRG (Intuitive Surgical): The company specializes in robotics, which may find applications in automating inspections at ports of entry.