Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law.
Congressional Research Service
Official summary
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Feb 25, 2009
Scott Gardner Act - Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to share immigration information with the Attorney General. Requires a joint report from such officials to Congress on improving the performance of federal immigration databases to ensure the prompt entry of immigration information.
Requires: (1) the director of each state and local law enforcement agency to collect and report to the Secretary all immigration and DWI (driving while intoxicated) information collected in the course of normal duties as a condition of receipt of state criminal alien assistance program (SCAAP) funding; (2) such information to appear as a flag on the wants/warrants page of the National Criminal Information Center (NCIC) database; and (3) state or local detention of an arrested flagged alien pending federal transfer.
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to: (1) require the Secretary to reimburse the costs of training state and local law enforcement employees on federal immigration laws; and (2) authorize the apprehension and detention of an alien for DWI or a similar violation, as long as the alien is deportable on any other grounds or is an illegal alien. Requires each state motor vehicle administrator to share with the Secretary all information concerning aliens with records of DWI convictions or refusals to take sobriety tests.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
Read full official summaryShow less
Directs the Secretary to submit to Congress a formula for the allocation of federal detention facilities for aliens.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Intelligence, Information Sharing, and Terrorism Risk Assessment.
Referred to House Homeland Security
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Homeland Security, 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.
Referred to House Judiciary
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
Bill text & related measures
Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.
No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Jul 9, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
AI Conversation Starters
Explore the bill from different angles
Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.
Neutral evidence review
Objective
Analyze H.R.1199 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.
View full prompt & sources
Fairness and public impact
Progressive lens
Examine H.R.1199 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.
View full prompt & sources
Institutions and government scope
Conservative lens
Examine H.R.1199 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.
View full prompt & sources
Individual rights and government power
Liberty lens
Examine H.R.1199 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.