S. 293: Securing the Border and Making Drug Cartels Pay for it Act

116th Congress · introduced 2019-01-31 · Immigration · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2019-01-31 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Cassidy, Bill [R-LA] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. 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

Securing the Border and Making Drug Cartels Pay for it Act

Plain summary

Securing the Border and Making Drug Cartels Pay for it Act This bill establishes various ways for funding border security enhancements, and increases the government's burden of proof in civil forfeiture cases. The bill establishes the Secure America Financing Corporation, which shall be authorized to issue Secure America Bonds. The proceeds from such bonds shall be available to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Border Patrol for security measures, including physical barriers, along the southwest border. Such funds may also be used for data analytics that may lead to increased drug seizures near the border. Forfeited funds related to a felony conviction for a continuing enterprise involved in the intentional distribution of an imported controlled substance shall be used for security measures, including physical barriers, along the U.S.-Mexico border. The bill also requires the government, when bringing an action for the civil forfeiture of property, to establish its case by clear and convincing evidence, where it is currently only required to meet the lower preponderance of the evidence standard. Seized property may be released pending trial in certain situations, but the bill establishes that currency or contraband likely to belong to or used to support a foreign illegal trafficking organization shall not be released.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), 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

Securing the Border and Making Drug Cartels Pay for it Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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The strongest published arguments

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Cassidy, Bill [R-LA] · 2 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Kevin Cramer (R-ND), John Kennedy (R-LA)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Cassidy, Bill [R-LA] reported raising $6.7 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

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 (4)

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).
Bond: A way to borrow money. A government sells bonds to raise money now and promises to pay it back with interest over time. Bonds repaid from taxes often need voter approval.
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 (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116s293.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/s>

Record fed-us-cong116-s293 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116