H.R. 6791 — To authorize the Land Port of Entry Community Infrastructure Program to address deficiencies in community infrastructure supportive of land ports of entry, and for other purposes.

This section establishes definitions for purposes of the Act: (1) community infrastructure, as a transportation, water, wastewater, telecommunications, electric, gas, or other utility project, or other project supporting or disproportionately impacted by a land port of entry—as designated by the Secretary of Homeland Security—that is owned by a state, tribal, or local government or a not-for-profit, member-owned utility and is focused on modernizing a land port of entry or located within 25 miles of one; (2) rural area, as a city, town, or unincorporated area with a population of not more than 100,000 inhabitants; and (3) Secretary, as the Secretary of Homeland Security.

This section establishes the Land Port of Entry Community Infrastructure Program, authorizing the Secretary of Homeland Security to award grants and supplement funds from other federal programs to state, tribal, and local governments and not-for-profit, member-owned utility services for eligible community infrastructure projects supporting land ports of entry. Eligible projects fall into five categories: (1) improving safety, efficiency, and reliability of legitimate trade and travel, such as local transportation or water infrastructure for port modernization or construction; (2) enhancing border security, measured by predicted impacts on illicit drug seizure rates and other metrics for ports of entry under 6 U.S.C. 223(c); (3) enhancing resilience and emergency preparedness of ports and infrastructure; (4) improving U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel family quality of life; and (5) addressing direct community impacts such as transportation, traffic congestion, waste and wastewater, pollution, and environmental degradation. In selecting projects, the Secretary must consider CBP's 2024 Land Port of Entry Modernization report, state capital investment plans supporting ports, and family quality-of-life factors including commuter workforce issues and benefits to CBP personnel and dependents; the Secretary must also standardize eligibility and selection processes and consult specified federal agencies including the Departments of Transportation, Commerce, Housing and Urban Development, Energy, and Agriculture and the Environmental Protection Agency. Projects generally require a 30% non-federal match, but the Secretary may reduce or waive this for rural areas or homeland security advantages; eligible entities may seek reimbursement for qualifying expenditures made on or after November 15, 2021, up to 70% of costs (or adjusted under the matching exceptions).

This section authorizes appropriations to the Department of Homeland Security for each fiscal year for the Land Port of Entry Community Infrastructure Program authorized under section 2, subject to the availability of appropriations, with such funds remaining available until expended.