Senate committee advances McSally’s bill to speed hiring of border security agents

The U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on June 19 advanced legislation sponsored by U.S. Sen. Martha McSally (R-AZ) to hasten the hiring of more border patrol agents by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

“The men and women of Customs and Border Protection work tirelessly to secure our borders, keep Americans safe, and facilitate cross-border commerce,” Sen. McSally said. “Given the crisis at our border, CBP agents and officers need urgent backup.”

Committee members moved to pass the Anti-Border Corruption Improvement Act of 2019, S. 731, to the full Senate for action.

If enacted, S. 731 would remove the polygraph test, an expensive requirement in the CBP hiring process, according to Sen. McSally’s office. The subsequent exemption would apply to applicants with military or law enforcement backgrounds, according to the bill’s text.

Such a change could help simplify the 11-step hiring process that averages between 274 days for agents and 318 days for officers, according to the senator’s office, saving CBP time and taxpayers dollars.

“My legislation not only maintains the same rigorous hiring standards, but it streamlines the hiring process for veterans and former law enforcement to deliver much-needed manpower to the frontlines,” said Sen. McSally, who originally sponsored S. 731 on March 7.