A bill to require the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection to establish procedures for conducting maintenance projects at ports of entry at which the Office of Field Operations conducts certain enforcement and facilitation activities.

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 63.

Congressional Research Service

Official summary

Version 25 · Reported to Senate · May 11, 2023

This bill directs U.S. Customs Border and Protection (CBP) to establish procedures for performing repairs and maintenance projects below a certain cost at certain federally owned ports of entry.

Specifically, these procedures shall cover repair and maintenance projects at federally owned ports of entry that engage in certain activities, such as entry inspections and activities to prevent the entry of illicit drugs, agricultural pests, and contraband. The procedures shall cover projects that cost no more than $300,000, with this cap to be adjusted annually for inflation.

CBP may perform such repair and maintenance projects in accordance with the procedures established under this bill.

Read the summary on Congress.gov

PlainBill analysis is coming later. This page presents official source data. We have not yet published a PlainBill explanation for this bill.

People & committees

Who introduced it

Sen. Lankford, James [R-OK] · R–OK

Committees

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

5 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Legislative record

Actions

A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

May 11, 2023
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 63.
May 11, 2023
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Peters without amendment. With written report No. 118-23.
May 11, 2023
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Peters without amendment. With written report No. 118-23.
Mar 29, 2023
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
Feb 2, 2023
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
Feb 2, 2023
Introduced in Senate

Primary sources

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Reported to Senate · May 11, 2023 Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML
Introduced in Senate · Feb 2, 2023 Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.

Source last updated: May 27, 2025. 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 S.243 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

Discuss S.243, 118th Congress: A bill to require the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection to establish procedures for conducting maintenance projects at ports of entry at which the Office of Field Operations conducts certain enforcement and facilitation activities.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/243

Text version to examine: Reported to Senate · 2023-05-11.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/118/bills/s243/BILLS-118s243rs.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-05-27T14:15:52Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Analyze S.243 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.

Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine S.243 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

Discuss S.243, 118th Congress: A bill to require the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection to establish procedures for conducting maintenance projects at ports of entry at which the Office of Field Operations conducts certain enforcement and facilitation activities.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/243

Text version to examine: Reported to Senate · 2023-05-11.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/118/bills/s243/BILLS-118s243rs.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-05-27T14:15:52Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.243 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.

Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine S.243 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

Discuss S.243, 118th Congress: A bill to require the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection to establish procedures for conducting maintenance projects at ports of entry at which the Office of Field Operations conducts certain enforcement and facilitation activities.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/243

Text version to examine: Reported to Senate · 2023-05-11.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/118/bills/s243/BILLS-118s243rs.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-05-27T14:15:52Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.243 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.

Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine S.243 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.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.243, 118th Congress: A bill to require the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection to establish procedures for conducting maintenance projects at ports of entry at which the Office of Field Operations conducts certain enforcement and facilitation activities.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/243

Text version to examine: Reported to Senate · 2023-05-11.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/118/bills/s243/BILLS-118s243rs.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-05-27T14:15:52Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.243 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.