North American Cooperative Security Act - Directs the Secretary of State to provide a framework for enhanced security management, communication, and coordination among the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Directs the Secretary to report to the appropriate congressional committees every six months regarding: (1) security, cargo security, and the movement of goods; (2) border infrastructure and wait times; (3) security clearances and document integrity; (4) immigration and visa management; (5) visa policy coordination and immigration security; (6) North American visitor overstay program; (7) terrorist watch lists; (8) money laundering, income tax evasion, currency smuggling, and alien smuggling; (9) counterterrorism programs; (10) law enforcement cooperation; (11) biosecurity cooperation; (12) protection against nuclear and radiological threats; (13) emergency management cooperation; (14) cooperative energy policy; and (15) feasibility of a common external tariff and development assistance with Mexico.
Authorizes the Secretary, in coordination with the Secretary of Homeland Security, to negotiate border-related information sharing agreements with Mexico.
Directs the Secretary, in coordination with the Secretary of Homeland Security, to establish a program to: (1) improve Mexico's southern border security, including U.S., Canadian, and Mexican financial and technical assistance to Belize and Guatemala to help secure their borders; (2) establish a database to track Central American gangs; (3) examine the feasibility of an agreement with Panama and other Central American countries regarding the aerial interdiction program that in similar contexts is commonly referred to as Airbridge Denial; and (4) negotiate with other countries to accept the International Civil Aviation Organization Annex 9 one-time travel document in lieu of official travel documents if an inadmissible alien has not presented official travel documents or has presented fraudulent ones, and facilitate the removal and repatriation of inadmissible aliens from the United States, with a focus on criminal aliens who are dangerous or potential terrorists.
Directs the Secretary of Defense to examine the feasibility of strengthening institutions for consultations on intelligence sharing and defense and border issues among the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2672 Introduced in House (IH)]
109th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2672
To direct the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security
to establish a program to enhance the mutual security and safety of the
United States, Canada, and Mexico, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 26, 2005
Ms. Harris (for herself, Mr. Pearce, and Mr. Shays) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on International
Relations, and in addition to the Committees on Armed Services and
Homeland Security, 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
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security
to establish a program to enhance the mutual security and safety of the
United States, Canada, and Mexico, and for other purposes.
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 ``North American Cooperative Security
Act''.
SEC. 2. PURPOSE OF NORTH AMERICAN SECURITY INITIATIVE.
The Secretary of State shall enhance the mutual security and safety
of the United States, Canada, and Mexico by providing a framework for
better management, communication, and coordination between the
governments of such countries.
SEC. 3. IMPROVING THE EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION ON NORTH AMERICAN
SECURITY.
(a) Report.--Not later than six months after the date of enactment
of this Act, and every six months thereafter, the Secretary of State,
in coordination with the Secretary of Homeland Security and the
Secretary of Defense, shall submit to the appropriate congressional
committees listed under subsection (b) a joint report described under
subsection (c) that contains a description of the efforts to carry out
this Act.
(b) Appropriate Congressional Committees.--The appropriate
congressional committees referred to in subsection (a) are the
following:
(1) The Committee on International Relations of the House
of Representatives.
(2) The Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate.
(3) The Committee on Homeland Security of the House of
Representatives.
(4) The Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental
Affairs of the Senate.
(5) The Committee on Armed Services of the House of
Representatives.
(6) The Committee on Armed Services of the Senate.
(c) Contents.--A report submitted under subsection (a) shall
contain a description of each of the following:
(1) Security and the movement of goods.--The progress of
the development and expansion of public-private partnerships to
secure the supply chain of goods coming into North America and
to expedite the movement of low-risk goods, including the
status of--
(A) the Fast and Secure Trade program (referred to
in this subsection as ``FAST program'') at major
international border crossings between the United
States and Canada, and the progress made in
implementing the FAST program at all remaining
international commercial border crossings between the
United States and Canada, Mexico;
(B) marketing programs by the Department of State
and the Department of Homeland Security to promote
enrollment by eligible individuals and companies in the
FAST program;
(C) ways and means of increasing participation in
the FAST program; and
(D) the implementation of the FAST program at
international border crossings between the United
States and Mexico.
(2) Cargo security and movement of goods.--The progress
made in developing and implementing a North American cargo
security strategy that creates a common security perimeter
around the United States, Canada, and Mexico by enhancing
technical assistance for programs and systems to support
advance reporting and risk management of cargo data, improved
integrity measures through automated collection of fees, and
advance technology to rapidly screen cargo.
(3) Border wait times.--The progress made by the Secretary
of State and Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation
with national, provincial, and municipal governments, to--
(A) reduce waiting times at international border
crossings through low-risk land ports of entry
facilitating programs, including the status of the
Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid
Inspection program (referred to in this section as the
``SENTRI program'') and the NEXUS program--
(B) measure and report wait times for commercial
and non-commercial traffic at the land ports of the
United States, Canada, and Mexico, and establish
compatible performance standards for operating under
normal security alert conditions; and
(C) identify, develop, and deploy new technologies
to--
(i) further advance the shared security
goals of the United States, Canada, and Mexico;
and
(ii) promote the legitimate flow of both
people and goods across these international
borders.
(4) Border infrastructure.--Efforts to pursue joint
investments in and protection of border infrastructure,
including--
(A) priority ports of entry;
(B) plans to expand dedicated lanes and approaches
and improve border infrastructure in order to meet the
objectives of the FAST program;
(C) the development of a strategic plan for
expanding the number of dedicated FAST program lanes at
major crossings at the international border between the
United States and Mexico; and
(D) an inventory of border transportation
infrastructure at major transportation corridors
between the United States and Canada and the United
States and Mexico.
(5) Security clearances and document integrity.--The
development of enrollment, security, technical, and biometric
standards for the issuance, authentication, and validation of
secure documents, including--
(A) technical and biometric standards based on best
practices and consistent with international standards
for the issuance, authentication, and validation of
travel documents, including--
(i) passports;
(ii) visas; and
(iii) permanent resident cards;
(B) working with Canada and Mexico to encourage
foreign countries to enact laws controlling alien
smuggling and trafficking, the use and manufacture of
fraudulent travel documents, and information sharing;
(C) applying incentives and support to ensure that
other countries meet proper travel document standards
and are equally committed to travel document
verification before transit to other countries,
including the United States; and
(D) providing technical assistance to Canada and
Mexico for the development and maintenance of a
national database built upon identified best practices
for biometric standards associated with visa and travel
documents.
(6) Immigration and visa management.--The progress on
efforts to share information concerning high-risk individuals
who might attempt to travel to the United States, Canada, or
Mexico, including--
(A) immigration lookout data on high risk
individuals through the implementation of the Statement
of Mutual Understanding on Information Sharing, that
was signed by the United States and Canada in February
2003; and
(B) immigration fraud trends and analysis,
including asylum and document fraud.
(7) Visa policy coordination and immigration security.--The
progress made by the United States, Canada, and Mexico to
enhance North American security by cooperating on visa policies
and identifying best practices regarding immigration security,
including--
(A) enhancing consultation among visa issuing
officials at consulates or embassies of the United
States, Canada, and Mexico throughout the world to
share information, trends, and best practices on visa
flows;
(B) comparing the procedures and policies of the
United States and Canada with respect to visitor visa
processing, including--
(i) application processes;
(ii) interview policies;
(iii) general screening procedures;
(iv) visa validities;
(v) quality control measures; and
(vi) access to appeal or review of such
procedures and policies;
(C) converging the list of visa waiver countries;
(D) providing technical assistance for the
development and maintenance of a national database
built upon identified best practices for biometric
standards associated with immigration violators;
(E) developing and implementing a North American
immigration security strategy that works toward the
development of a common security perimeter by enhancing
technical assistance for programs and systems to
support advance automated reporting and risk targeting
of international passengers;
(F) the progress made toward sharing information
concerning lost and stolen passports on a real-time
basis among immigration or law enforcement officials of
the United States, Canada, and Mexico; and
(G) the progress made by the Department of State in
collecting ten fingerprints from all visa applicants.
(8) North american visitor overstay program.--The progress
made to implement parallel entry and exit tracking systems
between the United States and Canada--
(A) to share information on third country nationals
who have overstayed in either country; and
(B) that respect the privacy laws of each such
country.
(9) Terrorist watch lists.--The progress made to enhance
the capacity of the United States to combat terrorism through
the coordination of counterterrorism efforts, including--
(A) establishing bilateral agreements between the
United States and Canada and between the United States
and Mexico to govern the sharing of terrorist watch
list data and to comprehensively enumerate the uses of
such data by the United States, Canada, and Mexico;
(B) establishing appropriate linkages between the
United States Terrorist Screening Center and both
Canada and Mexico; and
(C) working to explore and negotiate with foreign
governments concerning the establishment of a
multilateral watch list mechanism that would facilitate
direct coordination between a country that identifies
an individual as an individual included on a watch
list, and a country that owns such list, including
procedures that satisfy the security concerns and are
consistent with the privacy and other laws of each
participating country.
(10) Money laundering, income tax evasion, currency
smuggling, and alien smuggling.--The progress made to improve
information sharing and law enforcement cooperation in
organized crime, including--
(A) in areas of currency smuggling, money
laundering, alien smuggling and trafficking in alcohol,
firearms, and explosives;
(B) implementing the Canada-United States Firearms
Trafficking Action Plan;
(C) the feasibility of formulating a firearms
trafficking action plan between the United States and
Mexico;
(D) developing a joint threat assessment on
organized crime between the United States and Canada;
(E) the feasibility of formulating a joint threat
assessment on organized crime between the United States
and Mexico;
(F) developing mechanisms to exchange information
on findings, seizures, and captures of individuals
transporting undeclared currency; and
(G) developing and implementing a plan to combat
the transnational threat of illegal drug trafficking.
(11) Counterterrorism programs.--Enhancements to
counterterrorism coordination, including--
(A) reviewing existing counterterrorism efforts and
coordination between United States, Canada, and Mexico
to maximize effectiveness; and
(B) identifying best practices regarding the
sharing of information and intelligence with United
States, Canada, and Mexico.
(12) Law enforcement cooperation.--The enhancement of law
enforcement cooperation between United States, Canada, and
Mexico through enhanced technical assistance for the
development and maintenance of a national database built upon
identified best practices for biometric standards associated
with known or suspected criminals or terrorists, including--
(A) exploring the formation of law enforcement
teams that include personnel from the United States and
Mexico, and appropriate procedures from such teams; and
(B) assessing the threat and risk of the use of the
St. Lawrence Seaway System, the Great Lakes, and the
Gulf of Mexico by known or suspected criminals or
terrorists and developing appropriate marine
enforcement programs based on the integrated border
team framework.
(13) Biosecurity cooperation.--The progress made to
increase and promote cooperation between United States, Canada,
and Mexico in the analysis and assessments of intentional
threats to biosecurity, naturally occurring threats to
biosecurity, and the prevention and response capacity of the
United States to respond to such threats, including--
(A) mapping relationships among key regulatory and
border officials to ensure effective cooperation in
planning and responding to a biosecurity threat; and
(B) working jointly with Mexico and Canada in
support of the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism
Preparedness and Response Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-
188; 116 Stat. 594) to develop a regime that employs a
risk management approach to the movement of foods and
food products in the United States, Canada, and Mexico
and across the borders of such countries, and which
builds upon and harmonizes with customs processes.
(14) Protection against nuclear and radiological threats.--
The progress made to increase cooperation between the United
States, Canada, and Mexico to prevent nuclear and radiological
smuggling, including--
(A) identifying opportunities to increase
cooperation to prevent smuggling of nuclear or
radioactive materials, including improving export
controls for all materials identified on the high-risk
sources list maintained by the International Atomic
Energy Agency;
(B) working collectively with other countries to
install radiation detection equipment at foreign land
crossings to examine cargo destined for the United
States, Canada, or Mexico;
(C) enhancing border controls through effective
technical cooperation and other forms of cooperation
to--
(i) prevent the smuggling of radiological
materials; and
(ii) examine related next-generation
equipment;
(D) enhancing physical protection of nuclear
facilities in the United States, Canada, and Mexico
through effective technical and other forms of
cooperation; and
(E) developing a program for physical protection
for nuclear installations in Mexico that increases the
level of the nuclear security culture of those
individuals responsible for the physical protection of
nuclear installations and the transport of nuclear
material.
(15) Emergency management cooperation.--The progress made
regarding the appropriate coordination of systems between the
United States, Canada, and Mexico for planning and operational
standards for emergency management, including the development
of an interoperable communications system or the appropriate
coordination of existing systems for such countries for cross-
border incident management.
(16) Cooperative energy policy.--The progress of efforts
to--
(A) increase reliable energy supplies for the needs
and development of the United States, Canada, and
Mexico;
(B) streamline and update regulations concerning
energy;
(C) promote energy efficiency, conservation, and
technologies;
(D) work with Canada and Mexico to develop a North
American energy alliance to bolster the collective
security of the United States, Canada, and Mexico by
increased reliance on North American energy sources;
and
(E) work with Mexico to--
(i) increase Mexico's crude oil and natural
gas production by obtaining the technology and
financial resources needed by Mexico for energy
sector development;
(ii) attract sufficient private direct
investment in the upstream sector, within the
constitutional framework of Mexico, to foster
the development of additional crude oil and
natural gas production; and
(iii) attract sufficient private direct
investment in the downstream sector, within the
domestic legal framework of Mexico, to foster
the development of additional domestic refining
capacity to reduce costs for consumers and to
move Mexico toward self-sufficiency in meeting
its domestic energy needs.
(17) Feasibility of common external tariff and development
assistance to the economy of mexico.--The progress of efforts
to determine the feasibility of--
(A) harmonizing external tariffs with Mexico on a
sector-by-sector basis to the lowest prevailing rate
consistent with multilateral obligations, with the goal
of creating a long-term common external tariff;
(B) accelerating and expanding the implementation
of existing smart border actions plans to facilitate
intra-North American travel and commerce;
(C) working with Mexican authorities to devise
policies designed to stimulate the Mexican economy
that--
(i) attracts investment;
(ii) stimulates growth; and
(iii) commands broad public support and
provides for Mexicans to find jobs in Mexico;
and
(D) working to support the development of Mexican
industries, job growth, and appropriate improvements to
social services.
SEC. 4. INFORMATION SHARING AGREEMENTS.
The Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of
Homeland Security and the appropriate officials representing the
Government of Mexico, is authorized to negotiate an agreement with
Mexico to--
(1) cooperate in impeding the ability of third country
nationals from using Mexico as a transit corridor for
unauthorized entry into the United States; and
(2) provide technical assistance to support stronger
immigration control at the border with Mexico.
SEC. 5. IMPROVING THE SECURITY OF MEXICO'S SOUTHERN BORDER.
(a) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary of State, in coordination
with the Secretary of Homeland Security, appropriate officials
representing the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs, and
appropriate officials representing the Government of Mexico, shall
establish a program to--
(1) assess the specific needs of Guatemala and Belize in
maintaining the security of the borders of such countries;
(2) use the assessment made under paragraph (1) to
determine the financial and technical support needed by
Guatemala and Belize from the United States, Canada, and Mexico
to meet such needs;
(3) provide technical assistance to Guatemala and Belize to
secure issuance of passports and travel documents by such
countries; and
(4) encourage Guatemala and Belize to--
(A) control alien smuggling and trafficking;
(B) prevent the use and manufacture of fraudulent
travel documents; and
(C) share relevant information with the United
States, Canada, and Mexico.
(b) Immigration.--The Secretary of Homeland Security, in
consultation with the Secretary of State, appropriate officials
representing the Government of Guatemala, and appropriate officials
representing the Government of Belize, shall provide robust law
enforcement assistance to Guatemala and Belize that specifically
addresses migratory issues to increase the ability of Guatemala and
Belize to dismantle human smuggling organizations and gain tighter
control over the shared border between Guatemala and Mexico and Belize
and Mexico.
(c) Border Security Between Mexico and Guatemala and Belize.--The
Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland
Security, the appropriate officials representing the Government of
Mexico, appropriate officials representing the Government of Guatemala,
and appropriate officials representing the Government of Belize shall
establish a program to provide needed equipment, technical assistance,
and vehicles to manage, regulate, and patrol the international border
between Mexico and Guatemala and between Mexico and Belize.
(d) Tracking Central American Gangs.--The Secretary of State, in
coordination with the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Director of
the Federal Bureau of Investigation, appropriate officials representing
the Government of Mexico, appropriate officials representing the
Government of Guatemala, appropriate officials representing the
Government of Belize, and appropriate officials representing the
governments of other Central American countries, shall--
(1) assess the direct and indirect impact on the United
States and the countries of Central America as a result of
deporting from the United States violent criminal aliens back
to such countries;
(2) establish a program and database to track Central
American gang activities, focusing on the identification of
returning criminal deportees;
(3) devise an agreed-upon mechanism for notification to
such countries regarding such deportations prior to deportation
and for support for reintegration of deportees; and
(4) devise an agreement to share all relevant information
with the appropriate government agencies of Mexico and the
appropriate government agencies of such countries.
(e) Aerial Interdiction of Narcotrafficking Through Central America
and Panama.--The Secretary of State shall examine the feasibility of
entering into an agreement with Panama and with other Central American
countries regarding the establishment of an aerial interdiction program
that in similar contexts is commonly referred to as ``Airbridge
Denial''.
SEC. 6. NORTH AMERICAN DEFENSE INSTITUTIONS.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the
Secretary of State, shall examine the feasibility of--
(1) strengthening institutions for consultations on defense
issues among the United States, Canada, and Mexico specifically
through--
(A) the Joint Interagency Task Force South;
(B) the Permanent Joint Board on Defense;
(C) joint-staff talks; and
(D) senior Army border talks;
(2) proposing mechanisms to reach agreements with Canada
and Mexico regarding contingency plans for responding to
threats along the international borders of the United States;
(3) in consultation with Canada and Mexico, and with input
from the United States Northern Command--
(A) developing bilateral and trilateral
capabilities and coordination mechanisms to address
common threats along shared borders; and
(B) working cooperatively to clearly limit the term
``threats'' to encompass only military or defense-
related threats, rather than other threats to homeland
security;
(4) offering technical support to willing regional parties
to maintain airspace security, including consultation
mechanisms with the Joint Interagency Task Force and the North
American Aerospace Defense Command, to improve security in the
North American and Central American airspace; and
(5) proposing mechanisms to strengthen communication
information and intelligence sharing on defense issues among
the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
SEC. 7. REPATRIATION.
The Secretary of State shall--
(1) offer incentives, and negotiate with, other countries
to accept the International Civil Aviation Organization Annex 9
one-time travel document provided by the United States in lieu
of official travel documents if an inadmissible alien has not
presented official travel documents or has presented fraudulent
ones; and
(2) provide the proper support necessary to facilitate the
removal of inadmissible aliens from the United States and their
repatriation in, or reinstatement by, their country of
nationality or last country of habitual residence, with a focus
on criminal aliens who are considered particularly dangerous or
who are potential terrorists.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on International Relations, and in addition to the Committees on Armed Services, and Homeland Security, 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.
Referred to the Committee on International Relations, and in addition to the Committees on Armed Services, and Homeland Security, 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.
Referred to the Committee on International Relations, and in addition to the Committees on Armed Services, and Homeland Security, 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.
Referred to the Committee on International Relations, and in addition to the Committees on Armed Services, and Homeland Security, 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.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Intelligence, Information Sharing, and Terrorism Risk Assessment.
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