US Congress House Bill 998 (Prior Session Legislation)

---

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 6-0)
Status: Engrossed on July 28 2015 - 50% progression, died in chamber
Action: 2015-12-15 - Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 324.
Text: Latest bill text (Introduced) [PDF]

Preclearance Authorization Act of 2015 (Sec. 3) This bill authorizes the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), if there is a valid aviation security preclearance agreement, to establish U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) preclearance operations in a foreign country to: prevent terrorists, instruments of terrorism, and other security threats from entering the United States; prevent inadmissible persons from entering the United States; ensure merchandise destined for the United States complies with applicable U.S. customs laws; and ensure the prompt processing of persons eligible to travel to the United States. (Sec. 4) At least 60 days before an agreement to establish CBP preclearance operations in a foreign country becomes valid, DHS shall provide Congress with a copy of the agreement as well as other information on CBP preclearance operations. The establishment of preclearance operations at an airport in a foreign country under an agreement shall be conditioned on the requirements that: at least one U.S. passenger carrier operates at the airport, and the access of all U.S. passenger carriers to those preclearance operations is the same as the access of any non-U.S. passenger carrier. The CBP shall report quarterly to Congress on: the number of CBP officers assigned from U.S. ports of entry to preclearance operations; and the number of positions at U.S. ports of entry vacated by CBP officers that have been filled by other hired, trained, and equipped CBP officers. At least 60 days after a determination that CBP processing times have significantly increased at U.S. ports of entry from which CBP officers were reassigned to preclearance operations, if the vacated positions have not been filled, the CBP shall submit to Congress an implementation plan for reducing processing times at such U.S. ports. (Sec. 5) The Transportation Security Administration shall rescreen in the United States passengers and their property before they are permitted into sterile areas of U.S. airports if they have come from an airport in a foreign country that has failed to maintain security and protocols comparable to those of the United States. (Sec. 6) DHS may not enter into an agreement with a foreign country to establish or maintain CBP preclearance operations at an airport in that country unless it certifies that the foreign government: routinely submits information about lost and stolen passports of its citizens and nationals to INTERPOL's Stolen and Lost Travel Document database, or makes such information available to the United States through another comparable means of reporting. (Sec. 7) The CBP may enter into cost-sharing agreements with airports in foreign countries where preclearance operations have been established if: an executive agreement establishing such operations has been signed but not yet entered into force; and CBP has incurred, or expects to incur, initial preclearance operations costs. (Sec. 8) The Immigration and Nationality Act is amended to authorize the Department of Justice to receive in advance reimbursement for the costs of immigration inspection services provided at an airport. The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 is amended similarly to authorize the Department of Agriculture to collect in advance the costs for preclearance operations with respect to animals or articles entering into the United States. (Sec. 9) Except for sections 5, 7, and 8, this bill shall only apply to the establishment of preclearance operations in a foreign country in which no preclearance operations have been established as of the date of the enactment of this bill.

Preclearance Authorization Act of 2015

Rep. Patrick Meehan [R-PA]	Rep. Candice Miller [R-MI]	Rep. Ryan Costello [R-PA]	Rep. Leonard Lance [R-NJ]
Rep. Mike D. Rogers [R-AL]	Rep. Michael McCaul [R-TX]

Date	Chamber	Action
2015-12-15	Senate	Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 324.
2015-12-15	Senate	Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Johnson with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 114-180.
2015-10-07	Senate	Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
2015-07-28	Senate	Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
2015-07-27	House	Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
2015-07-27	House	On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H5495-5496)
2015-07-27	House	DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 998.
2015-07-27	House	Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5495-5497)
2015-07-27	House	Mrs. Miller (MI) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
2015-07-22	House	Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 165.
2015-07-22	House	Committee on Ways and Means discharged.
2015-07-22	House	Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Homeland Security. H. Rept. 114-219, Part I.
2015-06-25	House	Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
2015-06-25	House	Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
2015-03-27	House	Referred to the Subcommittee on Trade.
2015-03-12	House	Referred to the Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security.
2015-03-12	House	Referred to the Subcommittee on Transportation Security.
2015-02-13	House	Referred to House Ways and Means
2015-02-13	House	Referred to House Homeland Security
2015-02-13	House	Referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
2015-02-13	House	Introduced in House

Type	Source
Summary	https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/998/all-info
Text	https://www.congress.gov/114/bills/hr998/BILLS-114hr998ih.pdf
Text	https://www.congress.gov/114/bills/hr998/BILLS-114hr998rh.pdf
Text	https://www.congress.gov/114/bills/hr998/BILLS-114hr998eh.pdf
Text	https://www.congress.gov/114/bills/hr998/BILLS-114hr998rs.pdf