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CIVIC HERALD
HR 495 · 119th Congress · HouseIn committee

Subterranean Border Defense Act

Provisional: our plain-language summary, pending review.

In plain language: This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to submit an annual report to Congress detailing its operations to detect and shut down illegal underground smuggling tunnels along U.S. borders. Under previous law, federal border officials were only required to submit a one-time report when they first created their anti-tunnel strategy. The ongoing reporting requires border agencies to regularly account for the technology, manpower, and funding used to stop subterranean drug and human smuggling.

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Provisionalunreviewed: impact, provisions, stakeholders, summary
People affected—The text establishes an inter-agency reporting mandate directed at the Department of Homeland Security and does not directly govern or enumerate a specific group of individuals.
Fiscal magnitude—The text does not authorize new appropriations, specify dollar amounts, or impose fees; reporting costs are absorbed within existing agency budgets.
Reach
provisional · pending review8rigor: heuristic llm
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Issues

What this bill touches.

Ethics & oversight+14Enforcement & security−8

The sign shows the bill's direction on each issue (+ toward, − away); the number is its magnitude. Color never encodes good or bad, and never party.

Who it affects

Who it helps · who it burdens.

Provisional: our reading of who it affects, pending review.

Who it helps

  • CongressReceives ongoing annual reporting and strategic updates from the Department of Homeland Security regarding counter-tunnel operations under Section 2.provisional

Who it burdens

  • Department of Homeland SecurityMust prepare and submit annual reports to Congress on counter-tunnel strategy and operations, turning a one-time reporting mandate into an ongoing annual duty under Section 2.provisional

Dollar-level funding (FEC sector totals) is coming in a later phase.

What it does

The provisions, in plain language.

Provisional: our reading of what the bill does, pending review.

  1. Requires the Department of Homeland Security to submit annual reports to Congress on its strategy and operations to counter illegal cross-border tunnels, extending what was previously a one-time reporting requirement.

    Sec. 2provisional

How your members of Congress line up

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The record

How members voted on Subterranean Border Defense Act.

Recorded roll calls on this bill, most recent first. Open one to see each member's position.

  • House · Mar 10, 2025 · 2/3 YEA-AND-NAY

    On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass · Passed

    Source →

Timeline

How it moved.

Show all 12 actions
  1. Mar 11, 2025Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
  2. Mar 10, 2025Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  3. Mar 10, 2025On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 402 - 1 (Roll no. 63). (text: CR H1046)
  4. Mar 10, 2025Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 402 - 1 (Roll no. 63). (text: CR H1046)
  5. Mar 10, 2025Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H1057-1058)
  6. Mar 10, 2025At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
  7. Mar 10, 2025DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 495.
  8. Mar 10, 2025Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H1045-1046)
  9. Mar 10, 2025Mr. Green (TN) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
  10. Jan 16, 2025Referred to the Subcommittee on Border Security and Enforcement.
  11. Jan 16, 2025Referred to the House Committee on Homeland Security.
  12. Jan 16, 2025Introduced in House
  1. Mar 11, 2025Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
  2. Mar 10, 2025Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  3. Mar 10, 2025On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 402 - 1 (Roll no. 63). (text: CR H1046)
  4. Mar 10, 2025Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 402 - 1 (Roll no. 63). (text: CR H1046)
  5. Jan 16, 2025Introduced in House

The original text

Read it for yourself.

Read the original text →

Sources & provenance

Congress.govrefreshed 3 months ago

Cite this page

Civic Herald. “Subterranean Border Defense Act (H.R. 495, 119th Congress).” https://civicherald.app/bills/119-hr-495. Congress.gov record as of Jul 30, 2026.

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