Floor Situation

H.R. 4748 is expected to be considered on the floor of the House on Tuesday, July 27, 2010, under a motion to suspend the rules, requiring a two-thirds vote for passage.  The legislation was introduced by Rep. William Owens (D-NY) on March 3, 2010.  The House Committee on the Judiciary took no official action on H.R. 4748.

Bill Summary

H.R. 4748 would amend the Office of National Drug Control Policy Reauthorization Act of 2006 to require the Director of National Drug Control Policy, along with the Secretary of Homeland Security, to submit to Congress a Northern Border Counternarcotics Strategy. 

 

The bill would require that the strategy do the following:

 

1. Set forth the government's strategy for preventing the illegal trafficking of drugs across the international border between the United States and Canada, including through ports of entry and between ports of entry on that border;

 

1. State the specific roles and responsibilities of the relevant National Drug Control Program agencies and the Office of Counternarcotics Enforcement of the Department of Homeland Security for implementing that strategy; and

 

1. Identify the specific resources required to enable the relevant National Drug Control Program agencies and the Office of Counternarcotics Enforcement of the Department of Homeland Security to implement that strategy.

 

The bill would require that specific content related to Cross-Border Indian Reservations- The Northern Border Counternarcotics Strategy include the following:

 

1. A strategy to end the illegal trafficking of drugs through Indian reservations that straddle the international border between the United States and Canada; and

 

1. Recommendations for additional assistance to tribal law enforcement agencies with respect to such strategy.

 

The bill states that the Northern Border Counternarcotics Strategy will have no effect on existing agency authorities or the laws governing interagency relationships, but may include recommendations about changes to such authorities or laws.

Cost

The Congressional Budget Office has not produced a cost estimate for H.R. 4748 as of press time.