WASHINGTON—Florida Republican Rep. Vern Buchanan and Massachusetts Democrat Seth Moulton on Wednesday introduced the Fentanyl Sanctions Act, a bipartisan measure intended “to force China to stem the flow of deadly, synthetic opioids being trafficked into the United States.”
Fentanyl, which is similar chemically to heroin but 50 times more powerful, is the main substance the measure targets, because it was associated with more than 28,000 opioid overdose deaths in 2017, 40 percent of the 70,000 plus overdose deaths recorded that year.
An estimated 80 percent of the drug that comes into the United States originates from China, according to a joint statement issued by Buchanan and Moulton. Chinese officials agreed last week to clamp down on fentanyl trafficking.
While China is the major source of fentanyl trafficking into the United States, significant amounts also come from Mexico and other countries.
“Fentanyl and other opioids have ravaged Florida communities and torn apart many families and lives,” Buchanan said. “While I welcome China’s announcement that it will ban all forms of fentanyl, we must ensure that their words are followed through with meaningful action.
Provisions of the measure include:
Impose sanctions on China-based drug manufacturers that knowingly send synthetic opioids to drug traffickers and other criminal operations.
Authorize $600 million in funding for law enforcement to combat the trafficking of opioids across the globe.
Create a new federal commission to combat synthetic opioid trafficking that will include the Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and the secretaries of homeland security, defense, treasury, and state.
https://www.theepochtimes.com/bipartisan-house-bill-seeks-to-stop-flow-of-chinas-synthetic-opioids-into-us_2874963.html