Bill Summary
The "Northern Border Security Enhancement and Review Act" amends the existing Northern Border Security Review Act to improve the assessment and strategy regarding security at the northern border of the United States. Key provisions include:
1. **Threat Analysis Updates**: The legislation requires that the northern border threat analysis be updated by September 2, 2026, and every two years thereafter. This ensures that security assessments reflect current conditions and challenges.
2. **Northern Border Strategy Updates**: Following each threat analysis submission, the Secretary of Homeland Security must update the northern border strategy within 90 days. If an update is deemed unnecessary, the Secretary is required to notify the appropriate congressional committees.
3. **Classified Briefings**: The Secretary of Homeland Security must provide classified briefings to Congress within 30 days after each threat analysis submission, ensuring that lawmakers are informed of security evaluations and strategies.
4. **GAO Recommendations Implementation**: Within six months of enactment, the Secretary of Homeland Security must develop performance measures to evaluate the effectiveness of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Air and Marine Operations in securing the northern border.
Overall, this act seeks to enhance the security framework governing the northern border by ensuring regular assessments, strategic updates, and accountability in operations.
Possible Impacts
The "Northern Border Security Enhancement and Review Act" could affect people in various ways. Here are three examples:
1. **Increased Security Measures**: The requirement for biannual updates to the northern border threat analysis and strategy means that security measures may be adjusted more frequently. This could lead to increased patrols, enhanced surveillance, or new checkpoints, affecting individuals living in border communities who may experience changes in their daily routines or increased scrutiny when traveling.
2. **Congressional Oversight and Transparency**: The mandate for classified briefings to congressional committees after each threat analysis submission may lead to more informed legislative oversight regarding border security. This could affect citizens by ensuring that lawmakers are better equipped to address concerns about border security, immigration policies, and related issues, potentially leading to more balanced and effective policies.
3. **Resource Allocation and Performance Evaluation**: The requirement for the Secretary of Homeland Security to develop performance measures for the effectiveness of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in securing the northern border could result in a more efficient allocation of resources. This might lead to enhanced border security capabilities, which could impact individuals by improving safety in border regions or potentially affecting the flow of goods and people across the border.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5517 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 5517
To amend the Northern Border Security Review Act to require updates to
the northern border threat analysis and northern border strategy, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 19, 2025
Mr. Langworthy (for himself, Mr. Alford, Mr. Weber of Texas, Mr.
Lawler, Ms. Stefanik, Mr. Stauber, Mr. Simpson, Mr. Crenshaw, Ms.
Tenney, Mr. Zinke, Mrs. Luna, Mr. Van Drew, and Mr. Begich) introduced
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Homeland
Security
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Northern Border Security Review Act to require updates to
the northern border threat analysis and northern border strategy, 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 ``Northern Border Security Enhancement
and Review Act''.
SEC. 2. NORTHERN BORDER THREAT ANALYSIS AND STRATEGY.
(a) Northern Border Threat Analysis.--Section (a) of the Northern
Border Security Review Act (Public Law 114-267) is amended, the matter
preceding paragraph (1), by striking ``180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act'' and inserting ``September 2, 2026, and
biennially thereafter''.
(b) Northern Border Strategy Updates.--The Northern Border Security
Review Act is amended by--
(1) redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (d); and
(2) inserting after subsection (b) the following new
subsection:
``(c) Northern Border Strategy Updates.--Not later than 90 days
after each submission of the threat analysis required under subsection
(a), the Secretary of Homeland Security shall update the Department of
Homeland Security's northern border strategy. If the Secretary
determines no such update is required, the Secretary shall submit to
the appropriate congressional committees a notification relating
thereto.''.
(c) Classified Briefings.--The Northern Border Security Review Act,
as amended by subsection (b), is further amended by adding at the end
the following new subsection:
``(e) Classified Briefings.--Not later than 30 days after each
submission of the threat analysis required under subsection (a), the
Secretary of Homeland Security shall provide to the appropriate
congressional committees a classified briefing regarding such
analysis.''.
(d) Implementation of Certain GAO Recommendations.--Not later than
six months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary
of Homeland Security, acting through the Executive Assistant
Commissioner of Air and Marine Operations (AMO) of U.S. Customs and
Border Protection, shall develop performance measures to assess the
effectiveness of AMO at securing the northern border between ports of
entry in the air and maritime environments.
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