Floor SpeechNeutral2026-06-24

Text of Senate Amendment 6232

ImmigrationEnvironmentDefenseInfrastructure

Context

On 2026-06-24, Senator James Lankford (R-OK) delivered a floor speech titled "Text Of Senate Amendment 6232" in the Senate.

Full Text

Text of Senate Amendment 6232

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 106 (Wednesday, June 24, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 106 (Wednesday, June 24, 2026)] [Senate] [Pages S3398-S3400] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] SA 6232. Mr. LANKFORD submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows: At the appropriate place in title X, insert the following: SEC. 10___. CUSTOMS ACT. (a) Short Title.--This section may be cited as the ``Creating Uniform Security and Transit Over Migratory Sectors Act'' or the ``CUSTOMS Act''. (b) Port Modernization.-- (1) In general.--Section 411(o) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 211(o)) is amended-- (A) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (4); and (B) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following: ``(3) Transferring custody of all land ports of entry along international borders of the united states to u.s. customs and border protection.-- ``(A) In general.--Not later than 5 years after the date of the enactment of the CUSTOMS Act, the Administrator of General Services shall transfer custody of all land ports of entry along United States international borders to the Secretary. ``(B) Procedure for transferal.-- ``(i) Submission of site information to secretary.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of the CUSTOMS Act, the Administrator of General Services shall submit to the Secretary-- ``(I) detailed information regarding the sites of each land port of entry along any United States international border; ``(II) a current list of the Federal personnel who are stationed at the sites referred to in subclause (I), disaggregated by site and Federal department or agency; ``(III) a current list of the General Services Administration personnel and Federal contractors assigned to each General Services Administration Region containing a site referred to in subclause (I); ``(IV) the performance evaluations of the personnel and contractors referred to in subclause (III), to the extent available, for most recent 3-year period; ``(V) any draft or executed memoranda of understanding with other Federal departments or agencies regarding the maintenance of the sites referred to in subclause (I), or portions of such sites; ``(VI) any draft or executed lease contract and offers of the sites referred to in subclause (I), or portions of such sites; and ``(VII) any planned or ongoing maintenance projects for each site referred to in subclause (I), including the timelines, budgets, memoranda of understanding, scoping documents, technical specifications, contracting actions, and review materials for such projects. ``(ii) Site transferal timeline.-- ``(I) Submission to congress.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of the CUSTOMS Act, the Administrator of General Services and the Secretary shall jointly submit, to the appropriate congressional committees-- ``(aa) a timeline for the transferal of each site referred to in clause (i)(I); and ``(bb) the information described in subclauses (II) through (VI) of clause (i). [[Page S3399]] ``(II) Publication in federal register.--Not later than 3 days after the submission referred to in subclause (I), the Secretary shall publish the timeline referred to in item (aa) of such subclause in the Federal Register. ``(iii) Joint custody of sites.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of the CUSTOMS Act, the Administrator of General Services and the Secretary shall-- ``(I) assume joint custody of the sites referred to in clause (i)(I); and ``(II) jointly publish notice of such joint custody in the Federal Register. ``(iv) Interim management.--During the period beginning on the date on which notice is published pursuant to clause (iii)(II) and ending on the date on which the Secretary assumes full custody of all of the sites referred to in clause (i)(I)-- ``(I) the Secretary shall have the primary jurisdiction to manage such sites; and ``(II) the Administrator of General Services shall serve as an advisor in the management of such sites for the pendency of the transferal described in this paragraph. ``(v) Procedures; management.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of the CUSTOMS Act, the Secretary, in consultation with the Administrator of General Services, shall-- ``(I) establish procedures for assuming custody and managing each site referred to in clause (i)(I) to the current standard of the General Services Administration or the industry to prevent U.S. Customs and Border Protection from incurring additional expenses upon transfer of custody; ``(II) establish dispute resolution procedures for any conflict regarding the management of space or personnel at a site referred to in clause (i)(I) in which 2 or more Federal departments or agencies occupy space as tenants; ``(III) establish an office within U.S. Customs and Border Protection for managing relationships and serving as a liaison with any Federal, State, local, tribal, territorial, or international entity with whom the Administrator of General Services previously interacted in carrying out the Administrator's management duties of the sites referred to in clause (i)(I); ``(IV) establish an office within U.S. Customs and Border Protection for managing contracting actions, leasing execution, and title acquisitions regarding such sites, including maintenance and modernization projects; and ``(V) establish interagency agreements with occupying agencies to reimburse U.S. Customs and Border Protection for any direct costs incurred for such occupying agency's presence at land ports of entry that are under the custody and control of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. ``(vi) Duties of the administrator of general services.-- Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of the CUSTOMS Act, the Administrator of General Services shall-- ``(I) at each port of entry being transferred from the Administrator to the Secretary, develop a list of-- ``(aa) the existing environmental contamination at each port of entry, if applicable; ``(bb) the deferred maintenance projects at each port of entry, if applicable; ``(cc) the ongoing land acquisition actions at each port of entry, if applicable; ``(dd) the ongoing construction projects at each port of entry, if applicable; ``(ee) any donation under the Port of Entry donation authority described in section 482 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 301a) that the Administrator had been evaluating based on the criteria described in such section; ``(ff) any other item that could delay the transfer of each port of entry from the Administrator to the Secretary; and ``(gg) all rent charges collected for existing fiscal year as outlined on the GSA rent bill, to include an ongoing modernization funds and reimbursable work authorizations in progress; and ``(II) provide the list developed pursuant to subclause (I) to the Secretary and to the appropriate congressional committees. ``(vii) Monthly status reports.--Beginning on the date that is 30 days after the date on which the procedures and offices have been established pursuant to clause (v), the Secretary and the Administrator of General Services shall jointly provide monthly status reports to the appropriate congressional committees regarding the implementation of such procedures and the operations of such offices. ``(viii) Notices.--During the period beginning on the date that is 180 days after the date of the enactment of the CUSTOMS Act and ending on the date that is 5 years after such date of enactment, the Secretary shall notify the appropriate congressional committees whenever the Secretary assumes sole custody of a site referred to in clause (i)(I) and publish such notice in the Federal Register. ``(ix) Complete transferal.--Not later than 5 years after the date of the enactment of the CUSTOMS Act, the Secretary shall assume sole custody of every site referred to in clause (i)(I). ``(C) Personnel actions.-- ``(i) Direct hire authority.--Subject to clause (ii), during the pendency of the period described in subparagraph (B) and for the following 3 fiscal years, the Secretary, or his or her designee, without regard to the provisions of subchapter I of chapter 33 of title 5, United States Code (other than sections 3303 and 3328 of such chapter), may appoint qualified candidates to any position required-- ``(I) to carry out this paragraph; and ``(II) to manage the sites referred to in subparagraph (B)(i)(I). ``(ii) Conditions on use of direct hire authority.-- ``(I) In general.--Before using the direct hire authority described in clause (i), the Secretary, or a designee of the Secretary, shall review and consider existing personnel of U.S. Customs and Border Protection to address staffing requirements prior to exercising the direct hire authority. If gaps still exist, the process shall include interviewing each individual included in the list required under subparagraph (B)(i)(III) who received a pass or exemplary performance review during the period described in such subparagraph. ``(II) Appropriations.--The Administrator of General Services may transfer funds appropriated for the General Services Administration to U.S. Customs and Border Protection for salaries and expenses of personnel and contractors of the General Services Administration considered for direct hire authority by the Secretary under this subparagraph. ``(D) Expedited contracting.--The Secretary shall establish a streamlined approval process for expediting contracts and interagency agreements to carry out this paragraph. ``(E) Assumption of custody by u.s. customs and border pro

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Text of Senate Amendment 6232 Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 106 (Wednesday, June 24, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 106 (Wednesday, June 24, 2026)] [Senate] [Pages S3398-S3400] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] SA 6232. Mr. LANKFORD submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows: At the appropriate place in title X, insert the following: SEC. 10___. CUSTOMS ACT. (a) Short Title.--This section may be cited as the ``Creating Uniform Security and Transit Over Migratory Sectors Act'' or the ``CUSTOMS Act''. (b) Port Modernization.-- (1) In general.--Section 411(o) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 211(o)) is amended-- (A) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (4); and (B) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following: ``(3) Transferring custody of all land ports of entry along international borders of the united states to u.s. customs and border protection.-- ``(A) In general.--Not later than 5 years after the date of the enactment of the CUSTOMS Act, the Administrator of General Services shall transfer custody of all land ports of entry along United States international borders to the Secretary. ``(B) Procedure for transferal.-- ``(i) Submission of site information to secretary.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of the CUSTOMS Act, the Administrator of General Services shall submit to the Secretary-- ``(I) detailed information regarding the sites of each land port of entry along any United States international border; ``(II) a current list of the Federal personnel who are stationed at the sites referred to in subclause (I), disaggregated by site and Federal department or agency; ``(III) a current list of the General Services Administration personnel and Federal contractors assigned to each General Services Administration Region containing a site referred to in subclause (I); ``(IV) the performance evaluations of the personnel and contractors referred to in subclause (III), to the extent available, for most recent 3-year period; ``(V) any draft or executed memoranda of understanding with other Federal departments or agencies regarding the maintenance of the sites referred to in subclause (I), or portions of such sites; ``(VI) any draft or executed lease contract and offers of the sites referred to in subclause (I), or portions of such sites; and ``(VII) any planned or ongoing maintenance projects for each site referred to in subclause (I), including the timelines, budgets, memoranda of understanding, scoping documents, technical specifications, contracting actions, and review materials for such projects. ``(ii) Site transferal timeline.-- ``(I) Submission to congress.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of the CUSTOMS Act, the Administrator of General Services and the Secretary shall jointly submit, to the appropriate congressional committees-- ``(aa) a timeline for the transferal of each site referred to in clause (i)(I); and ``(bb) the information described in subclauses (II) through (VI) of clause (i). [[Page S3399]] ``(II) Publication in federal register.--Not later than 3 days after the submission referred to in subclause (I), the Secretary shall publish the timeline referred to in item (aa) of such subclause in the Federal Register. ``(iii) Joint custody of sites.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of the CUSTOMS Act, the Administrator of General Services and the Secretary shall-- ``(I) assume joint custody of the sites referred to in clause (i)(I); and ``(II) jointly publish notice of such joint custody in the Federal Register. ``(iv) Interim management.--During the period beginning on the date on which notice is published pursuant to clause (iii)(II) and ending on the date on which the Secretary assumes full custody of all of the sites referred to in clause (i)(I)-- ``(I) the Secretary shall have the primary jurisdiction to manage such sites; and ``(II) the Administrator of General Services shall serve as an advisor in the management of such sites for the pendency of the transferal described in this paragraph. ``(v) Procedures; management.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of the CUSTOMS Act, the Secretary, in consultation with the Administrator of General Services, shall-- ``(I) establish procedures for assuming custody and managing each site referred to in clause (i)(I) to the current standard of the General Services Administration or the industry to prevent U.S. Customs and Border Protection from incurring additional expenses upon transfer of custody; ``(II) establish dispute resolution procedures for any conflict regarding the management of space or personnel at a site referred to in clause (i)(I) in which 2 or more Federal departments or agencies occupy space as tenants; ``(III) establish an office within U.S. Customs and Border Protection for managing relationships and serving as a liaison with any Federal, State, local, tribal, territorial, or international entity with whom the Administrator of General Services previously interacted in carrying out the Administrator's management duties of the sites referred to in clause (i)(I); ``(IV) establish an office within U.S. Customs and Border Protection for managing contracting actions, leasing execution, and title acquisitions regarding such sites, including maintenance and modernization projects; and ``(V) establish interagency agreements with occupying agencies to reimburse U.S. Customs and Border Protection for any direct costs incurred for such occupying agency's presence at land ports of entry that are under the custody and control of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. ``(vi) Duties of the administrator of general services.-- Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of the CUSTOMS Act, the Administrator of General Services shall-- ``(I) at each port of entry being transferred from the Administrator to the Secretary, develop a list of-- ``(aa) the existing environmental contamination at each port of entry, if applicable; ``(bb) the deferred maintenance projects at each port of entry, if applicable; ``(cc) the ongoing land acquisition actions at each port of entry, if applicable; ``(dd) the ongoing construction projects at each port of entry, if applicable; ``(ee) any donation under the Port of Entry donation authority described in section 482 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 301a) that the Administrator had been evaluating based on the criteria described in such section; ``(ff) any other item that could delay the transfer of each port of entry from the Administrator to the Secretary; and ``(gg) all rent charges collected for existing fiscal year as outlined on the GSA rent bill, to include an ongoing modernization funds and reimbursable work authorizations in progress; and ``(II) provide the list developed pursuant to subclause (I) to the Secretary and to the appropriate congressional committees. ``(vii) Monthly status reports.--Beginning on the date that is 30 days after the date on which the procedures and offices have been established pursuant to clause (v), the Secretary and the Administrator of General Services shall jointly provide monthly status reports to the appropriate congressional committees regarding the implementation of such procedures and the operations of such offices. ``(viii) Notices.--During the period beginning on the date that is 180 days after the date of the enactment of the CUSTOMS Act and ending on the date that is 5 years after such date of enactment, the Secretary shall notify the appropriate congressional committees whenever the Secretary assumes sole custody of a site referred to in clause (i)(I) and publish such notice in the Federal Register. ``(ix) Complete transferal.--Not later than 5 years after the date of the enactment of the CUSTOMS Act, the Secretary shall assume sole custody of every site referred to in clause (i)(I). ``(C) Personnel actions.-- ``(i) Direct hire authority.--Subject to clause (ii), during the pendency of the period described in subparagraph (B) and for the following 3 fiscal years, the Secretary, or his or her designee, without regard to the provisions of subchapter I of chapter 33 of title 5, United States Code (other than sections 3303 and 3328 of such chapter), may appoint qualified candidates to any position required-- ``(I) to carry out this paragraph; and ``(II) to manage the sites referred to in subparagraph (B)(i)(I). ``(ii) Conditions on use of direct hire authority.-- ``(I) In general.--Before using the direct hire authority described in clause (i), the Secretary, or a designee of the Secretary, shall review and consider existing personnel of U.S. Customs and Border Protection to address staffing requirements prior to exercising the direct hire authority. If gaps still exist, the process shall include interviewing each individual included in the list required under subparagraph (B)(i)(III) who received a pass or exemplary performance review during the period described in such subparagraph. ``(II) Appropriations.--The Administrator of General Services may transfer funds appropriated for the General Services Administration to U.S. Customs and Border Protection for salaries and expenses of personnel and contractors of the General Services Administration considered for direct hire authority by the Secretary under this subparagraph. ``(D) Expedited contracting.--The Secretary shall establish a streamlined approval process for expediting contracts and interagency agreements to carry out this paragraph. ``(E) Assumption of custody by u.s. customs and border pro