H.R. 993 · Passed House · Immigration

Emerging Innovative Border Technologies Act

What it does

Requires CBP and the DHS Science and Technology Directorate to develop a plan to identify, integrate, and deploy emerging technologies to improve border security operations.
Covers technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, automation, fiber-optic sensing, nanotechnology, radar, modeling and simulation, and hyperspectral and LIDAR sensors.
Authorizes CBP to establish Innovation Teams to research and adapt commercial technologies for CBP use.
Requires the plan to set adoption goals and timelines, performance metrics, procurement authorities, how legacy programs may be replaced, and expected privacy and security impacts on border communities.
Requires the plan within 180 days of enactment and annual reports to Congress on the Innovation Teams.

Official summary

Emerging Innovative Border Technologies Act This bill requires U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Science and Technology Directorate of the Department of Homeland Security to develop a plan to identify, integrate, and deploy emerging and innovative technologies to improve border security operations. Such technologies may incorporate artificial intelligence, machine-learning, automation, fiber-optic sensing technology, nanotechnology, optical and cognitive radar, modeling and simulation technology, hyperspectral and LIDAR sensors, and imaging, identification, and categorization systems. The bill authorizes CBP to establish one or more Innovation Teams to research and adapt commercial technologies that may be used by CBP. The plan must describe how the Innovation Teams have been implemented and also detail goals and timelines for adoption of qualifying technologies, metrics and key performance parameters for determining the plan's effectiveness, which technologies used by other federal agencies CBP may also utilize, which existing authorities CBP may use to procure technologies, how CBP legacy border technology programs may be replaced, the expected privacy and…

Latest action

Mar 11, 2025: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Committee: Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs