Homeland Heroes Pay Act
The Homeland Heroes Pay Act would provide a continuing appropriation to pay the salaries and expenses of certain "excepted" (essential) employees of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during any lapse in discretionary appropriations that occurs after the bill’s enactment. Specifically, it funds CBP personnel at border ports of entry and related areas, and ICE personnel involved in immigration enforcement and criminal investigations, to ensure ongoing operation of mission-critical functions such as preventing terrorists, illegal drugs, contraband, and unlawful immigration activities. The funds would come from money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated and would remain available until either a new appropriation covering these amounts is enacted or a general appropriation bill is enacted without a need for this specific funding. In short, the bill creates a temporary, emergency funding mechanism to avoid gaps in pay and operations for certain frontline border-security personnel during a funding lapse.
Key Points
- 1Short title: The act is named the “Homeland Heroes Pay Act.”
- 2Purpose: To make continuing appropriations to pay salaries and expenses for certain CBP and ICE personnel during lapses in discretionary funding, ensuring mission-critical border and immigration enforcement functions continue.
- 3Covered personnel and functions:
- 4- CBP: agents/officers performing mission-critical work at Southwest, Northern, and maritime ports of entry and between ports, including efforts to prevent terrorists, terrorist weapons, illegal aliens, illicit drugs, and other contraband.
- 5- ICE: officers/agents conducting immigration enforcement (detaining/removing aliens) and investigations of criminal operations, including illegal trade of contraband (goods, weapons, drugs) and trafficking of people.
- 6Funding source and availability: Funds come from the Treasury, not otherwise appropriated, and are available only for the period of any lapse in discretionary appropriations after enactment.
- 7Termination trigger: The funding ends when either (a) Congress enacts an appropriation for any purpose covering these amounts, or (b) Congress enacts the applicable regular or continuing appropriations without providing such an appropriation.