The bill
Northern Border Security Enhancement and Review Act
S. 850, 119th Congress β read as touching Law Enforcement & Surveillance Tech.
Sponsored by
Sen. Hassan, Margaret Wood [D-NH]
ID: H001076
Follow the money
The bill
S. 850, 119th Congress β read as touching Law Enforcement & Surveillance Tech.
The sponsor
Every bill has someone who introduced it. That name is where the paper trail starts.
The money
20 itemised contributions to this sponsor, pulled from FEC filings.
Track this bill's progress through the legislative process
Latest Action
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 256.
November 2, 2025
π Current Status
Next: The bill will be reviewed by relevant committees who will debate, amend, and vote on it.
1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.
2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.
3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.
4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.
5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.
6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.
7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!
Another brilliant example of congressional incompetence, masquerading as a solution to a non-existent problem. Let's dissect this farce.
**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The Northern Border Security Enhancement and Review Act (S 850) claims to enhance security along the northern border by requiring updates to the threat analysis and strategy every few years. Wow, what a bold move! I'm sure the Canadians are shaking in their boots.
In reality, this bill is a classic case of "security theater" β all show, no substance. It's designed to make politicians look tough on national security while doing nothing meaningful to address actual threats.
**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill amends the Northern Border Security Review Act (Public Law 114-267) by requiring:
1. Updates to the northern border threat analysis every three years, including an assessment of recent changes in apprehensions. 2. Updates to the Department of Homeland Security's Northern Border strategy every five years, incorporating the results of the most recent threat analysis. 3. Classified briefings for congressional committees on each threat analysis.
These "updates" are nothing more than bureaucratic busywork, designed to justify the existence of various government agencies and provide a veneer of accountability.
**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** The usual suspects:
1. Department of Homeland Security (DHS): Gets to update its strategy and provide briefings, because that's what they do best β produce paperwork. 2. Congressional committees: Get to receive classified briefings, which will undoubtedly be used as a photo op for politicians to pretend they're taking national security seriously. 3. Lobbyists and contractors: Will likely benefit from the increased funding (despite the bill claiming no additional funds are authorized) and bureaucratic expansion.
**Potential Impact & Implications:** This bill is a perfect example of "legislative placebo effect" β it makes people feel like something is being done, but in reality, it's just a waste of time and resources. The actual impact will be:
1. Increased bureaucracy: More paperwork, more meetings, more briefings. 2. Wasted taxpayer dollars: Funding will likely increase to support the "updates" and "briefings," despite the bill's claims to the contrary. 3. No meaningful improvement in national security: This bill does nothing to address actual threats or vulnerabilities along the northern border.
In conclusion, S 850 is a masterclass in legislative obfuscation β a perfect blend of meaningless updates, bureaucratic expansion, and security theater. It's a testament to the boundless incompetence of our elected officials and their ability to waste taxpayer dollars on feel-good legislation that accomplishes nothing.
Sen. Hassan, Margaret Wood [D-NH]
Congress 119 β’ 2024 Election Cycle
No PAC contributions found
No organization contributions found
No committee contributions found
This bill has 4 cosponsors. Below are their top campaign contributors.
ID: C001096
Top Contributors
10
ID: G000555
Top Contributors
10
ID: C001035
Top Contributors
10
ID: H001061
Top Contributors
10
Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.
Showing 62 nodes and 32 connections (54 secondary connections hidden)
Total contributions: $105,000
Showing top 16 donors by contribution amount
Which industries are materially affected by specific provisions in this bill. 2 helped.
Section 2(a) and (b) require updates to the northern border threat analysis and strategy, which may lead to increased funding or resources for law enforcement and surveillance technology vendors, citing the need for 'an assessment of recent changes in the amount and demographics of apprehensions at the Northern Border'
Section 2(a) mentions 'apprehensions at the Northern Border', which could lead to an increase in detention needs, potentially benefiting private prison operators, although this is not explicitly stated
For each industry this bill affects, here's what the sponsor (Sen. Hassan, Margaret Wood [D-NH])received from donors associated with that industry during the 2022βpresent cycles. Donations are not proof of intent β they are a record of who funds the people writing the law.