Congress·In Committee·H.R. 1297

Congress Proposes New Trust Fund to Modernize Border Crossings and Hire More Customs Officers

LPOE Modernization Trust Fund Act

about 1 year ago·View on Congress.gov·Read full text

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Stalled

No legislative action in over 90 days.

Legislative Progress

House

Senate

President

Law

Key Points

This bill creates a dedicated Trust Fund to pay for building and fixing land ports of entry where people and goods cross the U.S. border. The money would be used to build new facilities, expand old ones to handle more traffic, and buy new inspection technology to speed up the process.
Beyond just buildings, the fund would pay to hire more U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers and agricultural specialists. This aims to help the government process trade and travel more efficiently while keeping the border secure.
The money for these projects would come from existing customs fees and new surcharges. Travelers and businesses would see specific price increases, such as a $40 surcharge on immigrant user fees, a $20 visa fee surcharge, and a $6 land border inspection fee surcharge.
A new nine-member board would oversee how the money is spent. This board would include government leaders and representatives from the trucking and rail industries to make sure the projects help the flow of commerce on both the northern and southern borders.
If passed, the fund would start receiving money in 2026. The bill also requires regular reports to Congress to show exactly where the money is going and when construction projects are expected to be finished.

Infrastructure TransportationImmigrationEconomy Finance

Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

Who is affectedScoreImpactCertaintyScopeDurationSentiment

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

State Impacts

StateScoreImpactCertaintyScopeDurationSentiment

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

Milestones

3 milestones3 actions

Feb 13, 2025House

Referred to the Subcommittee on Border Security and Enforcement.

Feb 13, 2025House

Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Homeland Security, Agriculture, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Feb 13, 2025

Introduced in House

What Happens Next

Projected impacts based on AI analysis

Within 60 days of enactment

Up to $1.6 billion transferred from Customs User Fee Account to the new Trust Fund

This initial funding would provide the financial foundation for port of entry construction, expansion, and technology upgrades, though actual spending still requires separate Congressional approval.

Fiscal year 2026

New fee surcharges take effect on immigrant user fees ($40), land border inspection fees ($6), and visa fees ($20)

People crossing the border, applying for green cards, or getting visas would start paying higher fees, with 25% of those surcharges flowing into the Trust Fund for modernization projects.

Within about 4 months of enactment

Oversight Board established and holds first meeting

The nine-member board begins advising on which ports of entry get upgraded first and how the money is spent, with the first report to Congress due by January 31, 2026.

Related News

1 article

San Antonio Express-News·over 2 years ago

Commentary: Keep trade flowing between Texas and Mexico

A bipartisan group of Texas members of Congress introduced the Land Port of Entry Modernization Trust Fund Act to expand and improve existing ports of entry. The bill aims to address the desperate need for upgrades to facilitate trade and enhance security through a dedicated funding source.

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