North Houston News

Congressman Morgan Luttrell (R-TX) and Congressman Lou Correa (D-CA), members of the House Border Security and Enforcement Subcommittee, recently introduced the Emerging Innovative Border Technologies Act. The legislation has now passed in the U.S. House of Representatives with strong bipartisan support. This act mandates that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) present a detailed plan to Congress for identifying, integrating, and deploying advanced technologies to enhance border security operations.

"As cartels and foreign adversary operations become more sophisticated amidst the ongoing border crisis, the United States must deploy the latest and most advanced technologies available to our borders to disrupt these threats," said Congressman Luttrell. "I'm proud of the bipartisan work we've done with Congressman Correa. I'll continue to push for effective measures to safeguard our country and enforce our laws."

"Border security means keeping drugs and other negative elements away from our communities—and cutting-edge technology that is already available for commercial use gives our hard-working officers the tools they need to keep us safe," Congressman Correa said. "Through this bipartisan effort, Congress will better understand how our officers can use new technology to stop smugglers crossing in remote and deadly conditions, and hopefully deliver our officers the resources they so desperately need. I look forward to seeing this legislation pass the United States Senate and make its way to President Biden's desk."

The Emerging Innovative Border Technologies Act includes several key provisions:

- The Secretary of Homeland Security is required, within 180 days, to submit a comprehensive plan to Congress for identifying, integrating, and deploying new, innovative, disruptive, or other emerging technologies into border security operations.

- It authorizes one or more CBP Innovation Teams to research and adapt commercial technologies that are new, innovative, or disruptive into border security operations. These teams will address both capability gaps and urgent mission needs while assessing potential outcomes.

- Each CBP Innovation Team must have operating procedures clarifying roles and responsibilities within such teams concerning DHS and non-Federal partners as well as protocols for entering agreements to rapidly transition technologies into new or existing programs of record.