BEST Facilitation Act has not moved since its introduction on Feb 13, 2025, with cosponsors from both parties
Written by the Congressional Research Service [2]. 247 words.
Border Enforcement, Security, and Trade Facilitation Act of 2025 or the BEST Facilitation Act This bill establishes a pilot program for positions within U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to review inspection images of vehicles and cargo entering or exiting the United States. Specifically, the bill establishes the position of image technician 1 within the CBP Office of Field Operations. An image technician must (1) review nonintrusive inspection images of vehicles and cargo entering or exiting the United States; (2) assess whether such vehicles and cargo contain contraband, illicit drugs, weapons, or persons seeking to unlawfully enter the United States; and (3) refer suspicious vehicles and cargo for further inspection by a CBP officer. These reviews must take place at one of five regional command centers established pursuant to this pilot program. The bill also establishes the position of image technician 2 with additional responsibilities, including receiving and reporting intelligence to the National Targeting Center about techniques used by malign actors to transport contraband, illicit drugs, weapons, and persons seeking to unlawfully enter the United States. Image technicians must be supervised by a supervisory CBP officer. The bill establishes annual training requirements for both positions, including training on privacy and civil liberties and how to analyze inspection images. This pilot program ends five years after the date of enactment of this bill. Individuals employed as image technicians at the end of the pilot program may transfer to comparable positions within CBP or the Department of Homeland Security.
- Committees
- House Homeland Security Committee
- Policy area
- Immigration: 20 of 2,400 bills became law, 113th–118th (0.8%)
- Sponsor
- 2 of 63 bills enacted since 2013
- Text versions
- 1: introduced in house · 1,654 words
- Latest action
- Feb 13, 2025: Referred to the Subcommittee on Border Security and Enforcement.
- Records
- Congress.gov · Bill text
Each bill appears once, under its strongest link. 1 in all.
Identical or companion · 1
- 119th S. 578 BEST Facilitation Act R · Introduced