S. 1873: Border Security Technology Accountability Act of 2015

114th Congress · introduced 2015-07-28 · Immigration · Latest: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 406.

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Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2015-07-28 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. McCain, John [R-AZ] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 406. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
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 Accountability Act of 2015

Plain summary

Border Security Technology Accountability Act of 2015 (Sec. 2) This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), for each major border security technology acquisition program, to: ensure that it has a written acquisition program baseline approved by the relevant acquisition decision authority; document that it is meeting cost, schedule, and performance thresholds in compliance with departmental acquisition policies and the Federal Acquisition Regulation; and have a plan for meeting program implementation objectives by managing contractor performance. "Major acquisition program" means a DHS acquisition program estimated to require an eventual total expenditure of at least $300 million (based on FY2015 constant dollars) over its life cycle cost. Through the Under Secretary for Management and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), DHS shall ensure that border security technology acquisition program managers adhere to internal control standards identified by the Government Accountability Office. CBP shall provide information to assist the Under Secretary monitor program management. The Under Secretary shall submit a plan to Congress for border security technology testing and evaluation so that such new technologies are evaluated through a series of assessments, processes, and audits to ensure compliance with departmental acquisition policies and the Federal Acquisition Regulation, as well as the effectiveness of taxpayer dollars. (Sec. 3) No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act.

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate with amendment(s)), 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 Accountability Act of 2015

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate with amendment(s))

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. McCain, John [R-AZ] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: S. 1873, Border Security Technology Accountability Act of 2015 (2015-10-20)

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 (5)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate with amendment(s))
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-114s1873.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/114/s>

Record fed-us-cong114-s1873 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong114 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong114