Sw Louisiana News

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Clay Higgins (R-LA), chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Border Security and Enforcement, successfully passed two bipartisan pieces of legislation through the House Homeland Security Committee today. The bills now await a floor vote in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The first bill, the Cooperation on Combating Human Smuggling and Trafficking Act, was introduced last year with Congressman Lou Correa (D-CA). This legislation directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to enhance border security by providing law enforcement with tools to identify and disrupt human smuggling and trafficking operations.

The second bill, the Emerging Digital Identity Ecosystem Report Act, was introduced this year with Congressman Bill Foster (D-IL). It aims to evaluate how digital identification systems impact homeland security. The act requires the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Administrator to compile and submit a report to Congress on the current state of digital ID ecosystems and their value in the transportation sector.

“Both bills represent a real, bipartisan effort to ensure the safety and security of our homeland,” said Congressman Clay Higgins. “From expanding American partnerships to investigate and prosecute smugglers and traffickers to making meaningful strides to better understand digital ID impacts, we are working to address the root of each problem. Simply put, our bipartisan legislation will help protect American lives.”