The Border Jobs for Veterans Act has been signed into law. First introduced in the Senate by Senators Flake, McCain, Ron Johnson (R-WI) and Chuck Schumer (D-NY) on June 17, the new law will expedite the hiring of veterans as Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at understaffed U.S. ports of entry without raising costs or impacting existing veteran hiring authorities. Rep. McSally introduced the companion bill to the Border Jobs for Veterans Act in the House of Representatives on June 18.
“This is how Washington is supposed to work,” said Rep. McSally. “We identified a problem, put together a bipartisan solution, and worked together to get it across the finish line and signed into law. This new policy will help fill the vacancies at our ports of entry with qualified, trained service members, helping them transition to civilian life while addressing the staffing shortages at our ports. I’m proud to be part of this bipartisan effort to get results on a local problem, and will continue to work to advance commonsense, achievable solutions on the issues important to Southern Arizonans.”
Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson recently confirmed that the agency has yet to fill nearly 1,200 of the 2,000 new CBP officer positions created by Congress in 2014 to improve security and reduce trade-stifling commercial traffic at ports. Secretary Johnson has attributed the shortfall to delays associated with applicant background investigations, low polygraph clearance rates and a shortage of federal polygraph examiners, combined with CBP officer attrition.
Border Jobs for Veterans Act of 2015 reads:
(Sec. 3) Directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to consider the expedited hiring of qualified candidates who have the ability to perform the essential functions of the position of a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer and who are eligible for a veterans recruitment appointment.
(Sec. 4) Requires DHS to enhance DHS efforts to recruit members of the Armed Forces who are separating from military service to serve as CBP officers. Requires such enhanced recruiting efforts to:
- include CBP officer opportunities in relevant job assistance efforts under the Transition Assistance Program;
- place CBP officials or other relevant DHS officials at recruiting events and jobs fairs involving separating members of the Armed Forces;
- provide opportunities for local CBP field offices to partner with military bases in the region;
- include outreach efforts to educate members of the Armed Forces with qualifications that are transferable to CBP officer requirements;
- identify shared activities and opportunities for reciprocity related to steps in hiring CBP officers with the goal of minimizing the time required to hire qualified applicants;
- ensure the streamlined interagency transfer of relevant background investigations and security clearances; and
- include other elements to ensure that separating members of the Armed Forces are aware of opportunities to fill vacant CBP officer positions.
(Sec. 5) Directs DHS to report to Congress on DHS efforts to hire members of the Armed Forces who are separating from military service as CBP officers.