text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Southern Border Security Assistance 
  Act''.
  
  SEC. 2. FINDINGS; SENSE OF CONGRESS.
  
      (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
              (1) The United States and Mexico have recently experienced 
          a significant increase in violence along the international 
          border between the 2 countries.
              (2) The international border between the United States and 
          Mexico is being used as a gateway for drug cartels and criminal 
          enterprises that are illegally trafficking guns, people, and 
          drugs.
              (3) The partnership between the United States and Mexican 
          governments is critical--
                      (A) to address recent border violence; and
                      (B) to ensure the continued flow of legitimate 
                  cross-border commerce, traffic and trade.
              (4) The national security of the United States is 
          paramount.
              (5) While it is the job of the Federal Government to 
          protect national security by securing our Nation's borders, 
          State, local, and tribal law enforcement entities also provide 
          the first line of defense on the border and are critical first 
          responders to national security or public safety threats.
      (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
              (1) providing financial assistance for law enforcement 
          initiatives with our Mexican partners is important; and
              (2) in addition to such assistance, Congress must provide 
          immediate resources and equipment to State and local law 
          enforcement entities that are currently responding to border 
          violence and criminal activities on a daily basis.
  
  SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
  
      In this Act:
              (1) Law enforcement entity.--The term ``law enforcement 
          entity'' means an entity that--
                      (A) is a State, county, or city agency, a State or 
                  local police or sheriff department or association, or a 
                  subdivision thereof;
                      (B) operates within 100 miles of the international 
                  border between the United States and Mexico; and
                      (C) employs personnel on a full- or part-time basis 
                  to engage in the prevention, detection, or 
                  investigation of violations of the criminal laws of the 
                  United States.
              (2) Southern border region.--The term ``Southern Border 
          Region'' refers to counties that are located--
                      (A) within 100 miles of the international border 
                  between the United States and Mexico; and
                      (B) in the States of Arizona, California, New 
                  Mexico, and Texas.
  
  SEC. 4. BORDER SECURITY ASSISTANCE GRANTS.
  
      (a) Authority.--
              (1) In general.--The Secretary of Homeland Security, in 
          consultation with State and local law enforcement entities, is 
          authorized to award border security assistance grants to law 
          enforcement entities located in the Southern Border Region for 
          the purposes described in subsection (b).
              (2) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the 
          Secretary shall give priority to law enforcement agencies 
          located in a county that is located within 25 miles of the 
          international border between United States and Mexico.
      (b) Purposes.--To address drug trafficking, smuggling, and border 
  violence, a grant awarded under subsection (a) shall be used--
              (1) to obtain law enforcement equipment and tools, 
          including secure 2-way communication devices, portable laptops 
          and office computers, license plate readers, unmanned aerial 
          vehicles, unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), manned aircraft, 
          cameras with night viewing capabilities, and any other 
          appropriate law enforcement equipment;
              (2) to hire additional personnel, including administrative 
          support personnel, dispatchers, and jailers, and to provide 
          overtime funding for such personnel;
              (3) to purchase law enforcement vehicles;
              (4) to provide for high performance aircrafts and 
          helicopters for border surveillance and other critical mission 
          applications and operational and maintenance costs associated 
          with such craft;
              (5) to provide for critical power generation systems, 
          infrastructure, and technological upgrades to support State and 
          local data management systems and fusion centers; or
              (6) to provide for specialized training and for direct 
          operating expenses associated with detecting and prosecuting 
          drug trafficking, human smuggling, and other illegal activity 
          or violence that occurs at or near the international border 
          between the United States and Mexico.
      (c) Application.--
              (1) Requirement.--A law enforcement entity seeking a grant 
          under subsection (a), or a nonprofit organization or coalition 
          acting as an agent for 1 or more such law enforcement entities, 
          shall submit an application to the Secretary that includes the 
          information described in paragraph (2) at such time and in such 
          manner as the Secretary may require.
              (2) Content.--An application submitted under paragraph (1) 
          shall include--
                      (A) a description of the activities to be carried 
                  out with a grant awarded under subsection (a);
                      (B) if equipment will be purchased with the grant, 
                  a detailed description of the type and quantity of such 
                  equipment and of the personnel who will receive such 
                  equipment;
                      (C) a description of the need of the law 
                  enforcement entity for the grant, including a 
                  description of the inability of the entity to carry out 
                  the proposed activities without the grant; and
                      (D) an assurance that the entity will, to the 
                  extent practicable, seek, recruit, and hire members of 
                  racial and ethnic minority groups and women in the 
                  entity's law enforcement positions.
      (d) Review and Award.--
              (1) Review.--Not later than 90 days after the date an 
          application submitted under subsection (c) is received by the 
          Secretary, the Secretary shall review and approve or reject the 
          application.
              (2) Award of funds.--Subject to the availability of 
          appropriations, not later than 45 days after the date an 
          application is approved under paragraph (1), the Secretary 
          shall provide the grant funds to the applicant.
              (3) Priority.--In distributing grant funds under this 
          subsection, priority shall be given to high-intensity areas for 
          drug trafficking, smuggling, and border violence.
  
  SEC. 5. ADDITIONAL DISTRICT JUDGES FOR BORDER STATES.
  
      (a) In General.--The President shall appoint, by and with the 
  advice and consent of the Senate--
              (1) 4 additional district judges for the district of 
          Arizona;
              (2) 4 additional district judges for the central district 
          of California;
              (3) 4 additional district judges for the eastern district 
          of California;
              (4) 2 additional district judges for the northern district 
          of California;
              (5) 1 additional district judge for the district of New 
          Mexico;
              (6) 1 additional district judge for the eastern district of 
          Texas;
              (7) 2 additional district judges for the southern district 
          of Texas; and
              (8) 1 additional district judge for the western district of 
          Texas.
      (b) Temporary Judgeships.--The President shall appoint, by and with 
  the advice and consent of the Senate--
              (1) 1 additional district judge for the district of 
          Arizona;
              (2) 1 additional district judge for the central district of 
          California;
              (3) 1 additional district judge for the northern district 
          of California; and
              (4) 1 additional district judge for the district of New 
          Mexico.
      (c) Vacancies.--For each of the judicial districts named in 
  subsection (b), the first vacancy arising on the district court at 
  least 10 years after a judge is first confirmed to fill the temporary 
  district judgeship created in that district pursuant to subsection (b) 
  shall not be filled.
      (d) Existing Judgeships.--The existing judgeships for the district 
  of Arizona and the district of New Mexico authorized under section 
  312(c) of the 21st Century Department of Justice Appropriations 
  Authorization Act (Public Law 107-273, 116 Stat. 1758), as of the 
  effective date of this Act, shall be authorized under section 133 of 
  title 28, United States Code, and the incumbents in those offices shall 
  hold the office under section 133 of title 28, United States Code.
      (e) Conforming Amendments.--The table contained in section 133(a) 
  of title 28, United States Code, is amended--
              (1) in the item relating to the district of Arizona, by 
          striking ``12'' and inserting ``17'';
              (2) in the item relating to the central district of 
          California, by striking ``27'' and inserting ``31'';
              (3) in the item relating to the eastern district of 
          California, by striking ``6'' and inserting ``10'';
              (4) in the item relating to the northern district of 
          California, by striking ``14'' and inserting ``16'';
              (5) in the item relating to the district of New Mexico, by 
          striking ``6'' and inserting ``8'';
              (6) in the item relating to the eastern district of Texas, 
          by striking ``7'' and inserting ``8'';
              (7) in the item relating to the southern district of Texas, 
          by striking ``19'' and inserting ``21''; and
              (8) in the item relating to the western district of Texas, 
          by striking ``13'' and inserting ``14''.
  
  SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
  
      (a) Grant Funding.--There is authorized to be appropriated 
  $300,000,000 for the 2-year period ending on September 30, 2012, for 
  grants issued under section 4.
      (b) Judicial Funding.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
  the Attorney General for each of the fiscal years 2011 through 2013 
  such sums as may be necessary to carry out section 5, including the 
  hiring of necessary attorney and administrative support staff.
target: Southern Border Security Assistance Act - Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) providing financial assistance for law enforcement initiatives with our Mexican partners is important; and (2) Congress must provide, in addition to such assistance, immediate resources and equipment to state and local law enforcement entities that are currently responding to border violence and criminal activities on a daily basis.
  
  Authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to award border security assistance grants to law enforcement entities located in the Southern Border Region to address drug trafficking, smuggling, and border violence.
  
  Directs the President to appoint additional district judges for Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas.
feat_title: A bill to establish a program to provide southern border security assistance grants, to authorize the appointment of additional Federal judges in states along the southern border, and for other purposes.