House passes two McSally bills authorizing border programs that bolster homeland security

Two bills introduced by U.S. Rep. Martha McSally (R-AZ) to strengthen the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) border security efforts passed the U.S. House on June 25, marking the congresswoman’s 10th and 11th bills to be approved by the 115th Congress.

The Office of Biometric Identity Management (OBIM) Authorization Act of 2018, H.R. 5206, and the Immigration Advisory Program (IAP) Authorization Act of 2018, H.R. 5207, “will give DHS explicit authority to identify and track high risk individuals and prevent them from ever reaching our shores,” Rep. McSally said about the House-approved proposals.

H.R. 5206 would establish the OBIM – which provides biometric identity services to DHS components and other federal agencies in support of anti-terrorism, counterterrorism, border security, credentialing, national security, and public safety efforts – as the primary biometric repository for the DHS, according to a summary provided by the congresswoman’s office. The OBIM operates the DHS repository that encompasses more than 225 million unique biometric screenings including fingerprint, face and iris holdings.

H.R. 5207 would codify the IAP, which deploys U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers to international airports in partner countries to prevent terrorists and other criminals from boarding flights bound for the United States.

“Terrorists, transnational criminal organizations, and others seeking to do harm are constantly adapting their strategies to infiltrate our country,” said Rep. McSally. “In the current environment, we must find ways to push out our borders and deploy 21st century solutions to counter 21st century threats.”

The lawmaker added that both pieces of legislation, which she introduced on March 7, “will help us move closer to accomplishing these goals and increasing the safety and security of all Americans.”

Among the cosponsors for H.R. 5206 were U.S. Reps. Don Bacon (R-NE), Michael McCaul (R-TX), and John Katko (R-NY). The bill was received in the U.S. Senate on June 26 and has been referred to the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

Reps. Katko and McCaul also were among the cosponsors of H.R. 5207, which likewise is now under consideration by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.