(b)Definitions
In this section:
(1)Appropriate congressional committees
The term appropriate congressional committees means—
(A)the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives; and
(B)the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate.
(2)Foreign terrorist organization
The term foreign terrorist organization has the meaning given the term in section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189).
(3)Secretary
The term Secretary means the Secretary of State.
5.Southern border technology needs analysis and updates
(a)Technology needs analysis
Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit, to the appropriate congressional committees, a technology needs analysis for border security technology along the Southwest border.
(b)Contents
The analysis required under subsection (a) shall include an assessment of—
(1)the technology needs and gaps along the Southwest border—
(A)to prevent terrorists and instruments of terror from entering the United States;
(B)to combat and reduce cross-border criminal activity, including, but not limited to—
(i)the transport of illegal goods, such as illicit drugs; and
(ii)human smuggling and human trafficking; and
(C)to facilitate the flow of legal trade across the Southwest border;
(2)recent technological advancements in—
(A)manned aircraft sensor, communication, and common operating picture technology;
(B)unmanned aerial systems and related technology, including counter-unmanned aerial system technology;
(C)surveillance technology, including—
(i)mobile surveillance vehicles;
(ii)associated electronics, including cameras, sensor technology, and radar;
(iii)tower-based surveillance technology;
(iv)advanced unattended surveillance sensors; and
(v)deployable, lighter-than-air, ground surveillance equipment;
(D)nonintrusive inspection technology, including non-X-ray devices utilizing muon tomography and other advanced detection technology;
(E)tunnel detection technology; and
(F)communications equipment, including—
(i)radios;
(ii)long-term evolution broadband; and
(iii)miniature satellites;
(3)any other technological advancements that the Secretary determines to be critical to the Department's mission along the Southwest border;
(4)whether the use of the technological advances described in paragraphs (2) and (3) will—
(A)improve border security;
(B)improve the capability of the Department to accomplish its mission along the Southwest border;
(C)reduce technology gaps along the Southwest border; and
(D)enhance the safety of any officer or agent of the Department or any other Federal agency;
(5)the Department's ongoing border security technology development efforts, including efforts by—
(A)U.S. Customs and Border Protection;
(B)the Science and Technology Directorate; and
(C)the technology assessment office of any other operational component;
(6)the technology needs for improving border security, such as—
(A)information technology or other computer or computing systems data capture;
(B)biometrics;
(C)cloud storage; and
(D)intelligence data sharing capabilities among agencies within the Department;
(7)any other technological needs or factors, including border security infrastructure, such as physical barriers or dual-purpose infrastructure, that the Secretary determines should be considered; and
(8)currently deployed technology or new technology that would improve the Department's ability—
(A)to reasonably achieve operational control and situational awareness along the Southwest border; and
(B)to collect metrics for securing the border at and between ports of entry, as required under subsections (b) and (c) of section 1092 of division A of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (6 U.S.C. 223).
(c)Updates
(1)In general
Not later than 2 years after the submission of the analysis required under subsection (a), and biannually thereafter for the following 4 years, the Secretary shall submit an update to such analysis to the appropriate congressional committees.
(2)Contents
Each update required under paragraph (1) shall include a plan for utilizing the resources of the Department to meet the border security technology needs and gaps identified pursuant to subsection (b), including developing or acquiring technologies not currently in use by the Department that would allow the Department to bridge existing border technology gaps along the Southwest border.
(d)Items To be considered
In compiling the technology needs analysis and updates required under this section, the Secretary shall consider and examine—