Text of Senate Amendment 6232

Quick facts

Record: Senate Floor
Section type: Amendments
Chamber: Senate
Date: June 24, 2026
Congress: 119th Congress
Why this source matters: This section came from the Senate floor portion of the record.

Linked context

People mentioned: Lankford, James
Committees: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Committee on Environment and Public Works, Committee on Appropriations

Readable version of the official text

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).

“(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

protection.—Not later than 5 years after the date of the

enactment of the CUSTOMS Act, upon completion of the elements

described in subparagraph (B), all sites referred to in

subparagraph (B)(i)(I) shall be under the sole authority of

the Secretary.

“(F) Modifications to land ports of entry regarding aliens

seeking asylum.—

“(i) In general.—Upon completion of the transferal

required under subparagraph (B) and the assumption of custody

described in subparagraph (E), the Secretary shall—

“(I) develop a list that includes not fewer than—

“(aa) 15 land ports of entry along the international

border between the United States and Mexico at which a high

proportion of aliens are seeking asylum; and

“(bb) 15 land ports of entry along the international

border between the United States and Canada at which a high

proportion of aliens are seeking asylum;

“(II) to the extent practicable, establish not fewer than

1 dedicated pedestrian lanes and other appropriate facilities

at each land port of entry described in clause (i) for the

processing of aliens who are seeking asylum in the United

States; and

“(III) enter into a memorandum of agreement with the

Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to

detail an appropriate number of asylum officers to each land

port of entry described in subclause (I).

“(ii) Memorandum described.—The memorandum of agreement

required under clause (i)(III)—

“(I) should base the number of asylum officers at each

land port of entry on the relative number of aliens seeking

asylum at such land port of entry; and

“(II) shall allow for changes in the number of asylum

officers to be detailed to a particular land port of entry

based on new information gathered regarding the migratory

flow of aliens seeking asylum.

“(G) Rule of construction.—Nothing in this paragraph may

be construed to affect the availability of funding from—

“(i) the Federal Buildings Fund established under section

592(a) of title 40, United States Code; or

“(ii) any other applicable statutory authority or

appropriation available to implement this paragraph.”.

(2) Conforming amendment.—Section 411(r) of the Homeland

Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 211(r)) is amended by striking

“section, the terms” and inserting the following:

"section—

“(1) the term `appropriate congressional committee'

means—

“(A) the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental

Affairs of the Senate;

“(B) the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the

Senate;

“(C) the Subcommittee on Homeland Security and the

Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government of

the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;

“(D) the Committee on Oversight and Accountability of the

House of Representatives;

“(E) the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of

the House of Representatives; and

“(F) the Subcommittee on Homeland Security and the

Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government of

the Committee on Appropriations of the House of

Representatives; and

“(2) the terms”.

(1) Defined term.—In this subsection, the term

“appropriate congressional committees” has the meaning

given such term in section 411(r)(1) of the Homeland Security

Act of 2002, as added by subsection (b)(2).

(2) Annual report land ports of entry report.—Not later

than 5 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, and

annually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit a report to

the appropriate congressional committees that includes—

(A) an inventory of all of the land ports of entry that are

under the custody of the Secretary of Homeland Security;

(B) the Federal departments and agencies that have

personnel stationed at any of the sites referred to in

section 411(o)(3)(B)(i)(I) of the Homeland Security Act of

2002, as added by subsection (b)(1);

projects at such sites, including the timelines, budgets,

memoranda of understanding (if applicable), scoping

documents, technical specifications, contracting actions, and

review materials of such projects;

(D) the personnel actions taken pursuant to section

411(o)(3)(C) of such Act, as added by subsection (b)(1); and

(E) the contracting actions taken in accordance with the

streamlined process established pursuant to section

411(o)(3)(D) of such Act, as added by subsection (b)(1).

(3) Implementation report.—Not later than 5 years after

the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commissioner for

U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Director of U.S.

Citizenship and Immigration Services shall jointly submit a

report to the appropriate congressional committees that

includes—

(A) a list of the land ports of entry described in section

411(o)(3)(F)(i)(I) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as

added by subsection (b)(1);

(B) the number of pedestrian lanes for asylum seekers at

each land port of entry included in the list required under

subparagraph (A);

411(o)(3)(F)(ii) of such Act, as added by subsection (b)(1);

(D) any recommended modifications to any facility located

at a land port of entry included in the list required under

subparagraph (A) including—

(i) modifications needed to improve the management aliens

seeking asylum at such facility;

(ii) any additional personnel that may be needed to manage

the flow of aliens seeking asylum at such facility; and

(iii) any technological upgrades that may be needed to

manage the flow of aliens seeking asylum at such facility;

and

(E) the projected cost for each element described in

subparagraph (D).

(4) Biannual port of entry donation report.—Not later than

180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and

biannually thereafter, the Comptroller General of the United

States shall—

(A) conduct a review of each project for which the

Secretary of Homeland Security accepted a donation authorized

under section 482 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6

U.S.C. 301a); and

(B) submit a report to the appropriate congressional

committees that includes, with respect to the reporting

period—

(i) a description of each donation described in

subparagraph (A);

(ii) the source of each such donation;

(iii) an estimate of any savings to the Federal Government

resulting from each such donation;

(iv) an estimate of any costs incurred by the Federal

Government resulting from each such donation; and

(v) any waste, fraud, corruption, or abuse within the

Federal Government resulting from each such donation.

(d) Technical and Conforming Amendments.—

(1) Savings provision.—Section 422(a) of the Homeland

Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 232(a)) is amended by

inserting “section 411(o)(3),” after “Administrator

under”.

(2) Port of entry donation authority.—Section 482 of the

Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 301a) is amended—

(A) in subsection (a)(1), in the matter preceding

subparagraph (A), by striking “, in consultation with the

Administrator of General Services,”;

(B) in subsection (b)—

(i) in paragraph (1), in the matter preceding subparagraph

(A), by striking “, and the Administrator of General

Services, as applicable,”;

(ii) by striking paragraph (3);

(iii) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (3); and

(iv) in paragraph (3)(B), as redesignated, by striking “or

the General Services Administration”;

(i) in paragraph (2)—

(I) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking

“, in consultation with the Administrator of General

Services,”;

(II) in subparagraph (B), by striking “, the General

Services Administration,”; and

(III) in subparagraph (E), by striking “, and the General

Services Administration, as applicable,”;

(ii) in paragraph (3)—

(I) in subparagraph (A), in the matter preceding clause

(i), by striking “, in consultation with the Administrator

of General Services, as applicable,”;

(II) in subparagraph (B)(ix), by striking “or

Administrator”; and

(III) in subparagraph (C)(ii), by striking “, with the

concurrence of the Administrator of General Services, as

applicable,”;

(iii) by striking paragraph (4);

(iv) by redesignating paragraphs (5), (6), and (7), as

paragraphs (4), (5), and (6), respectively;

(v) in paragraph (4), as redesignated, by striking “, or

the Administrator of General Services, as applicable,”;

(vi) in paragraph (5), as redesignated—

(I) in subparagraph (A), by striking “and the

Administrator of General Services, as applicable,”; and

(II) in subparagraph (B), in the matter preceding clause

(i), by inserting an em dash after “that”; and

(vii) in paragraph (6), as redesignated, by striking “, in

collaboration with the Administrator of General Services, as

applicable,”; and

(D) by adding at the end the following:

“(g) Consultation With GSA.—Any requirement under this

section to consult or collaborate with the Administrator of

General Services applies only to donations with respect to

land ports of entry within the Administrator's custody and

control, and such requirements cease upon transfer of sole

custody to the Secretary.”.

(e) Effective Date.—The amendments made by this section

shall take effect on the date on which the Secretary of

Homeland Security assumes sole custody of each Government-

owned land port of entry along any United States

international border in accordance with section

411(o)(3)(B)(ix) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as

amended by subsection (b)(1).

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