Texas Lawmakers Float Bill to Boost Port Officer Levels, Infrastructure

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Rep. Beto O’Rourke, D-Texas, introduced identical bills in both Houses of Congress on Feb. 12 to boost CBP officer levels and infrastructure at U.S. ports of entry and border regions. The Emergency Port of Entry Personnel and Infrastructure Funding Act of 2015, S-458 in the Senate and HR-883 in the House, calls for 5,000 more CBP officers at the border by the end of fiscal year 2020 to “serve on all inspection lanes.” The legislation authorizes 350 additional employees on top of that to “support staff” at ports of entry. Infrastructure improvements are also a central focus of the bill. The CBP commissioner would be allowed to prioritize particular projects to expedite commercial flow and strengthen safety measures, the bill says. The legislation, which also calls for reports to Congress on a number of issues revolving around the boosted staff figures, would authorize consultations between cabinet officials on where to build new ports, as well.