NORTHERN BORDER SECURITY ENHANCEMENT AND REVIEW ACT

On 2026-09-16, Representative Seth Magaziner (D-RI-2) delivered a floor speech titled "NORTHERN BORDER SECURITY ENHANCEMENT AND REVIEW ACT" in the House.

NORTHERN BORDER SECURITY ENHANCEMENT AND REVIEW ACT

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 146 (Wednesday, September 16, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 146 (Wednesday, September 16, 2026)] [House] [Pages H5898-H5899] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] NORTHERN BORDER SECURITY ENHANCEMENT AND REVIEW ACT Mr. VAN EPPS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5517) to amend the Northern Border Security Review Act to require updates to the northern border threat analysis and northern border strategy, and for other purposes, as amended. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 5517 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Northern Border Security Enhancement and Review Act''. SEC. 2. NORTHERN BORDER THREAT ANALYSIS AND STRATEGY. (a) Northern Border Threat Analysis.--Subsection (a) of section 3 of the Northern Border Security Review Act (Public Law 114-267) is amended, the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking ``180 days after the date of enactment of this Act'' and inserting ``September 2, 2026, and biennially thereafter''. (b) Northern Border Strategy Updates.--Section 3 of the Northern Border Security Review Act is amended by-- (1) redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (d); and (2) inserting after subsection (b) the following new subsection: ``(c) Northern Border Strategy Updates.--Not later than 90 days after each submission of the threat analysis required under subsection (a), the Secretary of Homeland Security shall update the Department of Homeland Security's northern border strategy. If the Secretary determines no such update is required, the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a notification relating thereto.''. (c) Classified Briefings.--Section 3 of the Northern Border Security Review Act, as amended by subsection (b), is further amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: ``(e) Classified Briefings.--Not later than 30 days after each submission of the threat analysis required under subsection (a), the Secretary of Homeland Security shall provide to the appropriate congressional committees a classified briefing regarding such analysis.''. (d) Implementation of Certain GAO Recommendations.--Not later than six months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the Executive Assistant Commissioner of Air and Marine Operations (AMO) of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, shall develop performance measures to assess the effectiveness of AMO at securing the northern border between ports of entry in the air and maritime environments. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Van Epps) and the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Magaziner) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Tennessee. General Leave Mr. VAN EPPS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 5517. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Tennessee? There was no objection. Mr. VAN EPPS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5517, the Northern Border Security Enhancement and Review Act. This bill would amend the Northern Border Security Review Act, which was enacted in 2016 to require the Department of Homeland Security to submit a northern border threat analysis on a biennial basis. It would also require the Secretary to update the northern border strategy within 90 days of the release of the review, if necessary. The bill also requires an assessment of the effectiveness of air and marine operations between ports of entry within 6 months of passage. The border between Canada and the United States is the longest land border in the world. It is critical that we ensure we have the tools in place to keep it secure from terrorists, illegal immigrants, and human trafficking, among other things. By implementing biennial reviews for northern border security, this bill will ensure that DHS and Congress have the information needed to determine whether additional resources or support may be needed. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5517, and I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. MAGAZINER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5517, the Northern Border Security Enhancement and Review Act. This bill simply requires DHS to conduct a recurring northern border threat analysis and to update their northern border strategy accordingly. It also requires CBP's Air and Marine Operations to create performance metrics to assess the effectiveness of securing the northern border. This is common sense. DHS should be conducting regular threat assessments to inform their strategy and should be able to assess whether its programs are effective. [[Page H5899]] Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. VAN EPPS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Langworthy). Mr. LANGWORTHY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for the time here. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 5517, the Northern Border Security Enhancement and Review Act. This legislation requires the Department of Homeland Security to regularly assess threats along our northern border, update its strategy to address those threats, and ensure that Congress has the information necessary to conduct effective oversight. The United States shares more than 5,500 miles of border with Canada, spanning one of the most diverse and challenging terrains in the country. All threats to our homeland continue to evolve. We must ensure our northern border receives the sustained attention necessary to keep our communities and our country secure, and the numbers demonstrate why that attention is needed. Border Patrol reported that apprehensions between ports of entry along the northern border jumped from just 916 in fiscal year 2021 to more than 23,000 in fiscal year 2024. Mr. Speaker, I represent western New York and the southern tier, including communities along our border with Canada. In the Buffalo sector alone, the Government Accountability Office reported that Border Patrol was involved in 170 drug seizure events in fiscal year 2024, nearly double the number recorded 1 year earlier. {time} 1150 While the situation at our borders has improved, we cannot become complacent and allow our border communities to be put at risk. We need to make sure that our law enforcement personnel have the strategy that reflects the threats that they are actually facing today and are prepared for the threats that they may face tomorrow. My bill establishes a straightforward process to regularly evaluate emerging threats, update our northern border strategy accordingly, and provide Congress with briefings on those threats. It also strengthens accountability by requiring Customs and Border Protection to measure the effectiveness of its air and maritime operations between ports of entry. The northern border is a critical part of our homeland security, and it deserves consistent focus. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5517. Mr. MAGAZINER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, I once again urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5517, the Northern Border Security Enhancement and Review Act. The Department of Homeland Security should be keeping a close eye on all threats to the American people, including any threats coming across the northern border, and it should be able to measure whether its actions are having an impact. Mr. Speaker, I support this bill. I urge my colleagues to do the same, and I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. VAN EPPS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5517, and I yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Van Epps) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 5517, as amended. The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed. A motion to reconsider was laid on the table. ____________________

Referenced legislation: HR5517, HR5517