S.Amdt. 6388

SA 6388, also known as the Emerging Innovative Border Technologies Act, is an amendment proposed by Ms. Cortez Masto to be added to bill S. 4784. Its purpose is to create a structured plan and authority for the Department of Homeland Security to find and use new technologies to help U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) meet its needs at ports of entry and along international borders.

The amendment aims to add the following to the bill:

• A Comprehensive Technology Plan: The Secretary of Homeland Security must submit a plan to the House and Senate committees within 180 days. This plan must identify safe and secure "disruptive" or emerging technologies, assess their impact on privacy and civil liberties, and identify old technology that can be replaced.

• CBP Innovation Teams: It authorizes the Commissioner of CBP to create one or more Innovation Teams. These teams are tasked with researching commercial technologies and assessing how they can fill security gaps while following rules on artificial intelligence and procurement.

• Accountability and Reporting: The amendment requires the Commissioner to provide annual reports on the activities of the Innovation Teams, including which technologies were successful and how they are being transitioned into official programs.

• Cost-Benefit Requirement: Before any new technology from the plan is deployed on a large scale, the Secretary of Homeland Security must consider the costs and benefits to ensure the government sees quantifiable improvements in border security.