{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases/ciscomani-gonzalez-introduce-push-expedite-screenings-ports-entry", "Ciscomani, Gonzalez Introduce Push to Expedite Screenings at Ports of Entry", "2023-10-19", "2023", "2023-10", "Republican", "House", "AZ", "Juan Ciscomani", "C001133", "ciscomani.house.gov", "ciscomani", "https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Congressmen Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ-06) and Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX-34) introduced new bipartisan, bicameral legislation today aimed at expediting screenings at ports of entry.\n\nThe Border Enforcement, Security, and Trade (BEST) Facilitation Act creates a new \u201cimage technician\u201d position within Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to assess scans of cargo and determine whether further inspection is necessary. It also creates a \u201csupervisory image technician\u201d position to review images that are more difficult to assess. This position will also serve as a liaison between image technicians and the National Targeting Center. Full text of the bill is available here.\n\n\u201cThe addition of image technicians at our ports of entry will allow CBP officers to review what\u2019s coming through in a more thorough manner, thwarting the flow of drugs, weapons, and human smuggling that we are currently seeing,\u201d said Rep. Ciscomani. \u201cLaw enforcement has previously called for this type of support and, as morale plummets, I am proud to lead on this bipartisan, bicameral effort to support CBP and law enforcement.\u201d\n\n\u201cEnsuring U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has the necessary resources to address personnel shortages and strengthen our border security is a top priority of mine,\u201d said Rep. Gonzalez. \u201cThis bipartisan bill provides additional personnel to scan cargo at our ports of entry, helping prevent dangerous substances like fentanyl from entering our communities, while also decreasing wait times and keeping our borders secure.\u201d\n\nSenators James Lankford (R-OK) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ) introduced companion legislation in the Senate.\n\n\u201cSuccessfully inspecting cargo at our ports of entry helps stop dangerous drugs like fentanyl from coming into the US,\u201d said Sen. Lankford. \u201cBorder law enforcement have asked for support to analyze cargo images in real time, so they can focus on the person-to-person contact that enables them to catch criminals. Adding these positions makes sure cargo can be thoroughly inspected for illegal drugs, guns, and human smuggling at our border. This is a nonpartisan, straight-forward solution to support our hard-working border law enforcement.\u201d\n\n\u201cCustoms and Border Protection need the necessary resources to do the difficult job of keeping illegal drugs, like fentanyl, and other dangerous substances from entering our country,\u201d said Sen. Kelly. \u201cAs we continue the work to upgrade and expand our ports of entry, the BEST Facilitation Act will help CBP more quickly reach the goal of 100% scanning while increasing trade, decreasing wait times, and enhancing the ability to stop illegal drugs and cargo. As we know in Arizona, ports are a major economic benefit to our communities, and this bill provides for additional port personnel to ensure our ports are secure and efficient.\u201d\n\nThe bill is also supported by the National Sheriffs\u2019 Association; National Association of Counties (NACo); U.S. Chamber of Commerce; U.S. Travel Association; National Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders Association; Greater Nogales Santa Cruz County Port Authority; Santa Cruz County Supervisor Bruce Bracker; and City of Yuma Mayor Douglas Nicholls.\n\n\u201cThe Port Authority has been a stalwart advocate for the need to ensure that our ports of entry are the best that they can be,\u201d said Jaime Chamberlain, Chairman of the Greater Nogales Santa Cruz County Port Authority, in a letter of support for the bill. \u201cTo that end, it is our hope that the creation of the Image Technician, along with the Supervisory Image Technician, will bring dedicated personnel that are specifically trained for these functions and permit Customs and Border Protection to take those officers that currently perform those monitoring functions out to the inspection booths and docks to enforce all applicable laws. We believe this to be a more efficient use of current staffing.\u201d\n\n\u201cBy endorsing the BEST Facilitation Act of 2023, we ensure that our Customs and Border Protection officers are empowered to focus on their core mission,\u201d said Collins County (TX) Sheriff Jim Skinner, Chair of the National Sheriffs\u2019 Association. \u201cProper staffing is the bedrock of effective law enforcement. The National Sheriffs\u2019 Association applauds Representative Ciscomani\u2019s efforts to provide law enforcement the resources they rightfully deserve.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Chamber commends Representatives Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ) and Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX) for leading the introduction of the Border Enforcement, Security, and Trade (BEST) Facilitation Act of 2023 in the U.S. House of Representatives,\u201d said Jon Baselice, the Vice President of Immigration Policy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. \u201cU.S. Customs and Border Protection desperately needs more resources to prevent the trafficking of people, illegal drugs like fentanyl, and other dangerous products and substances into our country. The BEST Facilitation Act not only will enhance the federal government\u2019s inspection capabilities and help uncover more criminal activity at our ports, but also will markedly improve the processing efficiency at our ports of entry because law enforcement agents will be able to make more-informed inspection decisions in real time. We urge other members of Congress to cosponsor this legislation.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:49:26Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases/ciscomani-gonzalez-introduce-push-expedite-screenings-ports-entry"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.5997469890862703, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}