S. 578 · 119th Congress
BEST Facilitation Act
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R
LankfordSponsor3 cosponsors · 2 D, 1 R
2 signed on when it was introduced; the rest joined later. Cosponsors who withdrew aren't shown.
Border Enforcement, Security, and Trade Facilitation Act of 2025 or the BEST Facilitation Act
What it does: CRS summary · Introduced in Senate · Feb 13, 2025
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.
Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov
About this bill and sources
Official title: BEST Facilitation Act
Also known as: Border Enforcement, Security, and Trade Facilitation Act of 2025
Latest action (Feb 13, 2025): Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
Policy area: Immigration · Origin: Senate · Introduced: Feb 13, 2025
Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)
No recorded floor vote found.