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H.R. 3916: Border Security Technology Innovation Act of 2008

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H.R. 3916: Border Security Technology Innovation Act of 2008

110th Congress · introduced 2007-10-22 · Emergency Management · Latest: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Science and Technology. H. Rept. 110-684, Part I.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2007-10-22 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Hall, Ralph M. [R-TX-4] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Science and Technology. H. Rept. 110-684, Part I. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Border Security Technology Innovation Act of 2008

Plain summary

Border Security Technology Innovation Act of 2008 - (Sec. 2) Requires the Under Secretary for Science and Technology of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to ensure that any federal government interagency or intra-agency agreement entered into by the Under Secretary to develop and transition new technology explicitly characterizes the requirements, expected use, and concept of operations for that technology. (Sec. 3) Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to terminate the Homeland Security Science and Technology Advisory Committee on December 31, 2012 (currently, 2008). (Sec. 4) Requires the Under Secretary to enter into an arrangement with the National Research Council for a one-year assessment of the basic science research needs in the border and maritime security domain. (Sec. 5) Directs: (1) the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Director of the Joint Planning and Development Office to research and develop technologies to permit routine operation of unmanned aerial vehicles, including autonomously piloted drones, within the national airspace for border and maritime security missions without degradation of existing safety levels for national airspace system users; and (2) the Secretary to coordinate with the Director and the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to enter into pilot projects in sparsely populated, low-density Class G air traffic airspace to conduct experiments and collect data to accelerate the safe integration of unmanned aircraft systems into the national airspace system as part of research activities of the Office. (Sec. 6) Requires: (1) the Under Secretary to research and develop technologies to permit detection of near surface voids, such as tunnels, with an emphasis on technologies with real time capability; and (2) the Secretary to coordinate with other federal agencies to ensure the integration of such research and development activities with their efforts. (Sec. 7) Requires the Under Secretary and the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to establish a joint research and development program on anticounterfeit technologies and standards. (Sec. 8) Directs the Under Secretary to study and report to Congress on the need for next generation global positioning system technology as it relates to border security. (Sec. 9) Directs the Under Secretary, in coordination with the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), to establish a research program on the use of mobile biometric technology at the nation's borders between the ports of entry. Requires the Secretary to ensure that the program is coordinated with other DHS biometric identification programs.

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to House amended, Part I), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Border Security Technology Innovation Act of 2008

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to House amended, Part I)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Hall, Ralph M. [R-TX-4] · 26 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: H.R. 3916, Border Security Technology Innovation Act of 2008 (2008-04-03); CBO cost estimate: H.R. 3916, Border Security Technology Innovation Act of 2008 (2008-04-03)

Cosponsors on this site

Michael T. McCaul (R-TX), Pete Sessions (R-TX), Adrian Smith (R-NE)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)
Securities
Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong110-hr3916 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong110 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong110