BORDER SURVEILLANCE.

SEC. 5201. [8 U.S.C. 1701 note] BORDER SURVEILLANCE. (a) In General.—Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit to the President and the appropriate committees of Congress a comprehensive plan for the systematic surveillance of the southwest border of the United States by remotely piloted aircraft. (b) Contents.—The plan submitted under subsection (a) shall include— (1) recommendations for establishing command and control centers, operations sites, infrastructure, maintenance, and procurement; (2) cost estimates for the implementation of the plan and ongoing operations; (3) recommendations for the appropriate agent within the Department of Homeland Security to be the executive agency for remotely piloted aircraft operations; (4) the number of remotely piloted aircraft required for the plan; (5) the types of missions the plan would undertake, including— (A) protecting the lives of people seeking illegal entry into the United States; (B) interdicting illegal movement of people, weapons, and other contraband across the border; (C) providing investigative support to assist in the dismantling of smuggling and criminal networks along the border; (D) using remotely piloted aircraft to serve as platforms for the collection of intelligence against smugglers and criminal networks along the border; and (E) further validating and testing of remotely piloted aircraft for airspace security missions; (6) the equipment necessary to carry out the plan; and (7) a recommendation regarding whether to expand the pilot program along the entire southwest border. (c) Implementation.—The Secretary of Homeland Security shall implement the plan submitted under subsection (a) as a pilot program as soon as sufficient funds are appropriated and available for this purpose. (d) Authorization of Appropriations.—There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this section.