text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Homeland Security Volunteerism 
  Enhancement Act of 2005''.
  
  SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
  
      (a) Findings.--The Congress finds the following:
              (1) The tragic events of September 11, 2001 demonstrated 
          the need for citizen preparedness to prevent and respond to 
          acts of terrorism.
              (2) The people of the United States responded to the tragic 
          events of September 11, 2001 with courage and compassion as 
          well as a renewed commitment and desire to help others.
              (3) The changing threat and issues that face the Nation 
          call for the mobilization and effective use of citizenry in 
          times of need.
              (4) Existing volunteer organizations, including the Coast 
          Guard Auxiliary, have been very successful in providing a wide 
          range of administrative and operational opportunities for 
          citizen participation.
      (b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to authorize the Secretary 
  of Homeland Security to recruit and use volunteers to support homeland 
  security efforts.
  
  SEC. 3. CITIZEN CORPS; BORDER CORPS.
  
      (a) In General.--Subtitle H of title VIII of the Homeland Security 
  Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 451 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the 
  following:
  
  ``SEC. 890A. CITIZEN CORPS.
  
      ``(a) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish, as a component 
  of the USA Freedom Corps established by Executive Order 13254, a 
  program to be known as the `Citizen Corps' to coordinate homeland 
  security volunteer activities.
      ``(b) Office of State and Local Government Coordination and 
  Preparedness.--The Citizen Corps shall be headed by the Director of the 
  Office of State and Local Government Coordination and Preparedness.
      ``(c) Volunteer Authority.--As part of the Citizen Corps 
  established in subsection (a), the Secretary may recruit, train, and 
  accept the services of volunteers notwithstanding section 1342 of title 
  31, United States Code.
  
  ``SEC. 890B. BORDER CORPS.
  
      ``(a) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish a Border Corps, 
  to be administered by the Commissioner of the Bureau of Customs and 
  Border Protection. The Border Corps shall be an organization under the 
  Citizen Corps. The Secretary shall recruit, train, and accept for 
  enrollment the members of the Border Corps.
      ``(b) Volunteers.--Members of the Border Corps shall be volunteers 
  who agree to contribute services without compensation. Section 1342 of 
  title 31, United States Code, shall not apply to the acceptance of 
  voluntary services by members of the Border Corps.
      ``(c) Duties.--
              ``(1) In general.--The Border Corps shall assist the United 
          States Border Patrol in carrying out its mission, to the extent 
          authorized by the Secretary.
              ``(2) Focus.--Members of the Border Corps shall be assigned 
          duties primarily in the areas of surveillance (responding to 
          electronic sensor alarms and aircraft sightings, manning remote 
          video surveillance camera systems), communications (using 
          radio, cellular, and satellite communications equipment to 
          assist Border Patrol agents in rapid response), transportation, 
          and administrative support.
              ``(3) Additional duties.--Members of the Border Corps may 
          also assist the Border Patrol in the following areas of United 
          States Border Patrol operations:
                      ``(A) Line watch operations to prevent illegal 
                  entry and smuggling.
                      ``(B) Signcutting operations to detect and 
                  interpret disturbances in natural terrain conditions 
                  that indicate the presence or passage of people, 
                  animals, or vehicles.
                      ``(C) Traffic checkpoints to detect aliens 
                  unlawfully traveling into the interior of the United 
                  States and to detect illegal narcotics.
                      ``(D) Air operations.
                      ``(E) Marine patrol.
                      ``(F) Horse and bike patrol.
      ``(d) Status.--
              ``(1) Not federal employees.--Except as otherwise provided 
          in this subsection, a volunteer shall not be deemed a Federal 
          employee and shall not be subject to the provisions of law 
          relating to Federal employment, including those provisions 
          relating to hours of work, rates of compensation, leave, 
          unemployment compensation, and Federal employee benefits.
              ``(2) Exceptions.--A member of the Border Corps while 
          assigned to duty shall be deemed to be a Federal employee only 
          for the following purposes:
                      ``(A) Chapter 26 of title 28, United States Code.
                      ``(B) Subchapter I of chapter 81 of title 5, United 
                  States Code.
                      ``(C) Claims relating to damage to, or loss of, 
                  personal property of a volunteer incident to volunteer 
                  service, in which case the provisions of section 3721 
                  of title 31, United States Code, shall apply.
              ``(3) Standards.--Nothing in this subsection shall 
          constrain the Secretary from prescribing standards for the 
          conduct and behavior of members of the Border Corps.
      ``(e) Eligibility.--
              ``(1) In general.--All citizens and legal permanent 
          residents of the United States over 18 years of age shall be 
          eligible to serve in the Border Corps.
              ``(2) Background check.--All volunteers must undergo a 
          background check in accordance with procedures established by 
          the Secretary.
      ``(f) Training.--The Secretary shall create a training and 
  certification program for Border Corps volunteers in accordance with 
  the specific tasks and functions in which they participate.
      ``(g) Travel Expenses.--When any member of the Border Corps is 
  assigned to such duty the member may, pursuant to regulations issued by 
  the Secretary, be paid actual necessary traveling expenses, including a 
  per diem allowance in lieu of subsistence in conformity with 
  standardized Federal Government travel regulations, while traveling and 
  while on duty away from home. No per diem shall be paid for any period 
  during which quarters and subsistence in kind are furnished by the 
  Federal Government.
      ``(h) Disenrollment.--Members of the Border Corps may be 
  disenrolled at any time, with or without cause, by the Secretary or the 
  member.
      ``(i) Border Patrol Staffing.--
              ``(1) In general.--In accepting the services of individuals 
          as volunteers through the Border Corps program, the Secretary 
          shall not permit the use of volunteers to displace any 
          employee.
              ``(2) Authorization for increase in border patrol agents.--
          The Secretary shall increase the number of full-time active-
          duty Border Patrol agents in accordance with section 5202 of 
          the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 
          (Public Law 108-458; 118 Stat. 3734).''.
      (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents in section 1(b) of 
  such Act is amended by adding after the item relating to section 890 
  the following:
  
  ``Sec. 890A. Citizen corps.
  ``Sec. 890B. Border corps.''.
  
  SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
  
      (a) Citizen Corps.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
  carry out section 890A of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as added 
  by section 3 of this Act, $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2007 
  through 2012.
      (b) Border Corps.--There are authorized to be appropriated to carry 
  out section 890B of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as added by 
  section 3 of this Act, $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2007 
  through 2012.
target: Homeland Security Volunteerism Enhancement Act of 2005 - Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish: (1) a Citizens Corps, as a component of the USA Freedom Corps, to coordinate homeland security volunteer activities; and (2) a Border Corps as a volunteer organization to assist the U.S. Border Patrol in carrying out its mission.
feat_title: To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to authorize the Citizen Corps and establish the Border Corps, and for other purposes.