McSally bill to conduct threat assessment of southwest border approved by committee

The House Homeland Security Committee approved a bill on Wednesday that was introduced by U.S. Rep. Martha McSally (R-AZ) to assess current and potential threats along the southern border.

Under the Southern Arizona Border Threat Assessment Act, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) would be required to conduct threat analysis on the southwest border within 180 days.

“I hear from my constituents repeatedly about the changing nature of threats along our border,” McSally, the chairwoman of the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security, said. “Cartels and other transnational criminal organizations adapt and alter their strategies. We need to be able to adapt as well, and that requires knowing what our border threats are. I’m glad to see my bill move out of committee and I’ll continue working to bring it up for a vote by the full House.”

In addition to assessing current and potential threats, the legislation directs DHS to assess measures needed to address such threats under the bill. The U.S. Border Patrol would then be directed to draft a strategic plan based on the DHS’s threat analysis.

Wednesday marked the sixth time that the House Homeland Security Committee has reported favorably on a bill related to national security or border protection that McSally introduced.