H.R. 993 · Where this bill is now
In the Senate
Passed the House Mar 10, 2025. Received Mar 11, 2025; no Senate vote yet
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryPlans advanced technologies for border security
This bill asks U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Department of Homeland Security to create a plan for using newer technologies to improve how they monitor and secure the border. The technologies could include artificial intelligence, sensors that detect movement, imaging systems, and other advanced tools. The bill also lets the agency create Innovation Teams to study and adapt commercial technologies for border use.
How it affects you
People who live near the border may notice changes in how border security operates as new technologies get deployed, and the bill requires the agency to consider privacy and security impacts on border communities. Most other Americans will not directly feel the effects, though the plan aims to improve border security operations overall. Congress will receive detailed reports on how the plan is working and what technologies are being adopted.
Read the official summary (Introduced in House, Feb 5, 2025)
Emerging Innovative Border Technologies Act
This bill requires U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Science and Technology Directorate of the Department of Homeland Security to develop a plan to identify, integrate, and deploy emerging and innovative technologies to improve border security operations. Such technologies may incorporate artificial intelligence, machine-learning, automation, fiber-optic sensing technology, nanotechnology, optical and cognitive radar, modeling and simulation technology, hyperspectral and LIDAR sensors, and imaging, identification, and categorization systems.
The bill authorizes CBP to establish one or more Innovation Teams to research and adapt commercial technologies that may be used by CBP.
The plan must describe how the Innovation Teams have been implemented and also detail
• goals and timelines for adoption of qualifying technologies,
• metrics and key performance parameters for determining the plan's effectiveness,
• which technologies used by other federal agencies CBP may also utilize,
• which existing authorities CBP may use to procure technologies,
• how CBP legacy border technology programs may be replaced,
• the expected privacy and security impact of security-related technology on border communities, and
• recent technological advancements in specified technologies.
CBP must provide the plan to Congress within 180 days of the bill’s enactment. The bill also requires CBP to annually report to Congress regarding the activities of the Innovation Teams.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionH. R. 993
AN ACT
Emerging Innovative Border Technologies Act
Sponsor: Rep. J. Luis Correa (D-CA-46) · Introduced Feb 5, 2025 · Immigration · 3 versions of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Mar 11, 2025: “Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.”
How Congress voted
Official roll callsHouse · On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass · Mar 10, 2025
Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass Passed 406–9
| Party | Yes | No | Didn’t vote |
|---|---|---|---|
| Democrats | 197 | 7 | 10 |
| Republicans | 209 | 2 | 7 |
9 members voted against most of their party: 7 Democrats voted No and 2 Republicans voted No.
Congress votes on whole bills and amendments, not on single sections.
Sections
The wording of this bill hasn’t changed across its 3 official versions.