S.Amdt. 6236

This amendment, submitted by Mr. Lankford, seeks to add a new subtitle called the Border Enforcement, Security, and Trade Facilitation Act of 2025 (or the BEST Facilitation Act) to bill S. 4784.

The purpose of this amendment is to create a pilot program within the Office of Field Operations to establish specialized Image Technician positions.

Key Changes and Additions:

• New Positions: It creates two levels of roles, Image Technician 1 and Image Technician 2. These are not law enforcement officer positions and cannot be filled by independent contractors.
• Duties: These technicians will review non-intrusive inspection images of containers and conveyances at ports of entry to identify anomalies like contraband, terrorist weapons, illicit drugs, or people trying to enter or exit the U.S. unlawfully. They recommend whether to release a conveyance or perform further inspections, though final decision-making authority remains with Supervisory U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers.
• Infrastructure and Training: The amendment requires the establishment of 5 regional command centers and mandates annual training and testing for technicians regarding image analysis, current trends, and civil liberties.
• Program Duration: The pilot program is set to sunset 5 years after the Act is enacted, with an option for employees to transfer to comparable positions within the Department of Homeland Security or U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
• Accountability: The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection must provide semiannual reports and biannual briefings to Congress. These reports must detail hiring numbers, image scan averages, and the program's impact on seizure rates and wait times at ports of entry.