Senators Rick Scott (R-FL) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) have reintroduced the Extending Limits of U.S. Customs Waters Act, legislation that would double the United States customs waters authority from 12 to 24 nautical miles from the nation's baselines (low water line).
Sen. Scott believes this initiative will grant the U.S. Coast Guard and Border Patrol's (CBP) Air and Marine Operations (AMO) a better shot at halting drug and human trafficking efforts and protecting American waters.
“Members of our U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations are working day-in and day-out to keep our nation’s shores, beaches and maritime territory safe, conducting critical missions and intercepting dangerous drugs and human traffickers before they reach shore," Scott. "These agents have faced unprecedented challenges amid President Joe Biden’s open-border crisis, but their work has made a huge difference to stop drugs and dangerous human traffickers from reaching our communities."
Furthermore, Sen. Scott shared that this bipartisan bill would "keep our nation safe" by expanding the distance of the maritime water line authorities.
"Along with President Trump’s actions to secure the border, this bill will help keep our nation safe and stop the flow of illegal drugs coming into our country by permanently expanding the jurisdiction and authority of our Coast Guard, CBP and others in our maritime territory. I urge my colleagues to support this important, bipartisan bill," concluded Sen. Scott.
Additionally, Sen. Hassan shared nearly the same outlook as the former Florida governor on this legislation.
“U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers keep our country safe every day by stopping drug and human traffickers trying to come into our country by land, sea, and air," said Sen. Hassan. "This bipartisan legislation will give Customs and Border Protection officers more authority to stop criminals who are trying to come to our shores and harm our communities, and I will keep working to give law enforcement the tools that they need to protect our communities.”
The Extending Limits of U.S. Customs Waters Act would codify the 1999 Presidential Proclamation 7219—The Contiguous Zone of the United States — and update other laws, which formally established the United States contiguous zone from the 12 nautical mile limit of the U.S. Customs Waters to 24 nautical miles.
