CATCH Fentanyl Act

This bill establishes a pilot program for testing new technologies to speed up and improve cargo inspections at land ports of entry along U.S. borders. It requires the Department of Homeland Security to test at least five types of nonintrusive inspection technology enhancements, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, to help detect contraband, illegal drugs, weapons, human smuggling, and threats. The program runs for five years and includes reports on effectiveness, costs, and privacy impacts.

Sec. 2, Definitions: Defines key terms including 'appropriate congressional committees' (Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and House Homeland Security Committee), 'artificial intelligence' (as defined in the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019), 'CBP Innovation Team' (the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Innovation Team), 'nonintrusive inspection technology' (equipment like X-ray or gamma-ray imaging that inspects cargo without opening containers), and 'pilot projects' (the testing projects required under section 3).

Sec. 3, Pilot projects allowing additional technology providers to participate in inspecting cars, trucks, and cargo containers at certain ports of entry: Requires the Secretary of Homeland Security, through the CBP Innovation Team, to start pilot projects within one year to test technologies that improve inspection of vehicles and cargo at land ports of entry. The projects must test at least five types of nonintrusive inspection technology enhancements from categories including artificial intelligence, machine learning, high-performance computing, quantum information sciences, and other emerging technologies. The projects will identify the most effective enhancements based on detection accuracy, efficiency, ability to improve aging equipment, safety, integration with existing workflow, mobility, and other performance measures. The CBP Innovation Team may seek private sector input and must prioritize cost-effective solutions. The projects must safeguard personal data privacy. The pilot projects end five years after enactment. Reports are required three years after enactment and 180 days after termination, including analysis of effectiveness, recommendations for nationwide use, a deployment plan with costs, a list of existing technologies, and performance measurements such as detection probability, false alarm rate, and throughput. Privacy and civil liberties reports must be submitted before implementation and after termination. No new funds are authorized for this act.