Sec. 1152. Southern border security assistance grants
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/bill/115/s/2192/pcs/section-1152A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
The Secretary, in consultation with State and local law enforcement agencies, may award border security assistance grants to law enforcement agencies located in the Southwest border region for the purposes described in subsection (b). In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to law enforcement agencies located in a county that is located within 25 miles of the Southern border. Each grant awarded under subsection
(a)shall be used to address drug trafficking, smuggling, and border violence— by obtaining law enforcement equipment and tools, including secure 2-way communication devices, portable laptops and office computers, license plate readers, unmanned aerial vehicles, unmanned aircraft systems, manned aircraft, cameras with night viewing capabilities, and any other appropriate law enforcement equipment; by hiring additional personnel, including administrative support personnel, dispatchers, and jailers, and to provide overtime pay for such personnel; by purchasing law enforcement vehicles; by providing high performance aircraft and helicopters for border surveillance and other critical mission applications and paying for the operational and maintenance costs associated with such craft; by providing critical power generation systems, infrastructure, and technological upgrades to support State and local data management systems and fusion centers; or by providing specialized training and paying for the direct operating expenses associated with detecting and prosecuting drug trafficking, human smuggling, and other illegal activity or violence that occurs at or near the Southern border. A law enforcement agency seeking a grant under subsection (a), or a nonprofit organization or coalition acting as an agent for 1 or more such law enforcement entities, shall submit an application to the Secretary that includes the information described in paragraph
(2)at such time and in such manner as the Secretary may require. Each application submitted under paragraph
(1)shall include— a description of the activities to be carried out with a grant awarded under subsection (a); if equipment will be purchased with the grant, a detailed description of— the type and quantity of such equipment; and the personnel who will be using such equipment; a description of the need of the law enforcement agency or agencies for the grant, including a description of the inability of the agency or agencies to carry out the proposed activities without the grant; and an assurance that the agency or agencies will, to the extent practicable, seek, recruit, and hire women and members of racial and ethnic minority groups in law enforcement positions of the agency or agencies. Not later than 90 days after receiving an application submitted under subsection (c), the Secretary shall review and approve or reject the application. Subject to the availability of appropriations, not later than 45 days after the date an application is approved under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall transmit the grant funds to the applicant. In distributing grant funds under this subsection, priority shall be given to high-intensity areas for drug trafficking, smuggling, and border violence. There is authorized to be appropriated, for each of the fiscal years 1019 and 2020, $300,000,000 for grants authorized under this section.