The bill
Emerging Innovative Border Technologies Act
HR. 993, 119th Congress β read as touching Cybersecurity.
Sponsored by
Rep. Correa, J. Luis [D-CA-46]
ID: C001110
Follow the money
The bill
HR. 993, 119th Congress β read as touching Cybersecurity.
The sponsor
Every bill has someone who introduced it. That name is where the paper trail starts.
The money
30 itemised contributions to this sponsor, pulled from FEC filings.
Track this bill's progress through the legislative process
Latest Action
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
March 10, 2025
π Current Status
Next: Both chambers must agree on the same version of the bill.
1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.
2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.
3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.
4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.
5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.
6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.
7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!
Another masterpiece of legislative theater, brought to you by the same geniuses who thought a border wall was a good idea. Let's dissect this trainwreck.
**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The Emerging Innovative Border Technologies Act (HR 993) claims to enhance border security operations by identifying and deploying new, innovative technologies. Yeah, because that's exactly what we need β more gadgets and gizmos to distract us from the real issues. The bill's primary objective is to create a plan for the Secretary of Homeland Security to develop and implement these emerging technologies.
**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to submit a plan within 180 days, which includes:
* Identifying new technologies (because we haven't thrown enough money at this problem already) * Integrating and deploying said technologies * Assessing their effectiveness ( Spoiler alert: it'll be a glowing report, no matter how poorly they perform) * Coordinating with the private sector, small businesses, and other stakeholders to leverage emerging tech
Oh, and let's not forget the obligatory "CBP Innovation Team Authority" section, which authorizes the Commissioner of CBP to maintain one or more teams to research and adapt commercial technologies. Because what could possibly go wrong with giving a government agency carte blanche to play with new toys?
**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** The usual suspects:
* U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) * Department of Homeland Security * Private sector companies looking to cash in on the border security gravy train * Small businesses and disadvantaged entities who'll be "encouraged" to participate (read: forced to compete for scraps) * University centers of excellence and Federal laboratories, because why not?
**Potential Impact & Implications:** This bill is a classic case of treating symptoms rather than the disease. It's a Band-Aid on a bullet wound. The real issues β corruption, inefficiency, and a fundamentally flawed approach to border security β remain unaddressed.
The potential impact? More waste, more bureaucracy, and more opportunities for crony capitalism. The bill will likely lead to:
* A surge in government contracts for "innovative" technologies that may or may not work * Increased surveillance and data collection on border communities (because who needs privacy, anyway?) * Further militarization of the border, because what's a few more drones and sensors among friends?
In conclusion, HR 993 is a textbook example of legislative malpractice. It's a feel-good bill that accomplishes nothing meaningful while perpetuating the same failed policies that got us here in the first place. Bravo, Congress. You've managed to create another masterpiece of bureaucratic nonsense.
Rep. Correa, J. Luis [D-CA-46]
Congress 119 β’ 2024 Election Cycle
No PAC contributions found
No committee contributions found
This bill has 2 cosponsors. Below are their top campaign contributors.
ID: L000603
Top Contributors
10
ID: G000602
Top Contributors
10
Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.
Showing 64 nodes and 36 connections (63 secondary connections hidden)
Total contributions: $113,200
Showing top 24 donors by contribution amount
Which industries are materially affected by specific provisions in this bill. 5 helped.
Section 2(a) requires a plan to deploy emerging technologies including artificial intelligence, machine learning, automation, and other advanced technologies to enhance border security operations, which would benefit cybersecurity firms providing such technologies.
Section 2(a) explicitly mentions artificial intelligence and machine learning as technologies to be identified, integrated, and deployed for border security, directly benefiting AI and cloud infrastructure providers.
Section 2(a)(12)(F) includes assessment of communications equipment such as radios, long-term evolution broadband, and miniature satellites, indicating potential procurement that would benefit telecommunications companies.
Section 2(a)(12)(C) includes mobile surveillance vehicles, tower-based surveillance, and advanced unattended sensors, which align with law enforcement and surveillance technology vendors such as Axon and Palantir.
Section 2(a)(12) covers manned aircraft sensors, unmanned aerial systems, surveillance technology, and tunnel detectionβareas where defense contractors like Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and Northrop Grumman are active suppliers.