Enhancing Overseas Traveler Vetting Act

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2627 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2627

 To authorize the development of open-source software based on certain
 systems of the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of
    State to facilitate the vetting of travelers against terrorist
 watchlists and law enforcement databases, enhance border management,
      and improve targeting and analysis, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 24, 2017

Mr. Hurd (for himself, Mr. Vela, Mr. McCaul, and Mr. Katko) introduced
  the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign
 Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Homeland Security, for a
 period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
                          committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 To authorize the development of open-source software based on certain
 systems of the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of
    State to facilitate the vetting of travelers against terrorist
 watchlists and law enforcement databases, enhance border management,
      and improve targeting and analysis, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Enhancing Overseas Traveler Vetting
Act''.

SEC. 2. OPEN-SOURCE SCREENING SOFTWARE.

    (a) In General.--Subject to subsection (c), the Secretary of
Homeland Security and the Secretary of State--
            (1) are authorized to develop open-source software based on
        U.S. Customs and Border Protection's global travel targeting
        and analysis systems and the Department of State's
        watchlisting, identification, and screening systems in order to
        facilitate the vetting of travelers against terrorist
        watchlists and law enforcement databases, enhance border
        management, and improve targeting and analysis; and
            (2) may make such software and any related technical
        assistance or training available to foreign governments or
        multilateral organizations for such purposes.
    (b) Report to Congress.--Not later than 60 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security and
Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate congressional
committees a plan to implement subsection (a).
    (c) Provision of Software and Congressional Notification.--Not
later than 15 days before the open-source software described in
subsection (a) is made available to foreign governments or multilateral
organizations pursuant to such subsection, the Secretary of Homeland
Security and Secretary of State, with the concurrence of the Director
of National Intelligence, shall--
            (1) certify to the appropriate congressional committees
        that such availability is in the national security interests of
        the United States; and
            (2) provide to such committees information on how such
        software or any related technical assistance or training will
        be made available.
    (d) Rule of Construction.--The authority provided under this
section shall be exercised in accordance with applicable provisions of
the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2751 et seq.), the Export
Administration Regulations, or any other similar provision of law.
    (e) No Additional Funds Authorized.--No additional funds are
authorized to carry out the requirements of this Act. Such requirements
shall be carried out using amounts otherwise authorized.
    (f) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
        ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
                    (A) in the House of Representatives--
                            (i) the Committee on Homeland Security; and
                            (ii) the Committee on Foreign Affairs; and
                    (B) in the Senate--
                            (i) the Committee on Homeland Security and
                        Governmental Affairs; and
                            (ii) the Committee on Foreign Relations.
            (2) Export administration regulations.--The term ``Export
        Administration Regulations'' means--
                    (A) the Export Administration Regulations as
                maintained and amended under the authority of the
                International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C.
                1701 et seq.) and codified in subchapter C of chapter
                VII of title 15, Code of Federal Regulations; or
                    (B) any successor regulations.
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