What This Bill Does
This bill changes an existing drug policy law from 1998 to require the federal government to create a strategy for stopping illegal drug trafficking through the Caribbean region into the United States. The strategy must specifically address drug trafficking affecting Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands and identify which agencies are responsible for carrying it out.
Who It Affects
Federal agencies involved in drug control, law enforcement agencies at state and local levels in Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands, and federal officials responsible for national drug policy.
Key Provisions
• The federal government must develop a Caribbean Border Counternarcotics Strategy that explains how it will prevent illegal drug trafficking through Caribbean ports, between ports, and through air and maritime routes into the United States (Sec. 2(b)).
• The strategy must identify the specific roles and responsibilities of each federal drug control agency and the resources needed to carry out those responsibilities (Sec. 2(b)).
• The strategy must include a plan to prevent drug trafficking to Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands and must aim to reduce drug-related violent crime on those islands (Sec. 2(b)).
• The strategy must include recommendations for additional assistance or authorities that federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies may need, including evaluations of technical and financial support and infrastructure capacity (Sec. 2(b)).
• The strategy must be designed to support legitimate trade and travel, not interfere with it (Sec. 2(b)).
What Changes
If this becomes law, the federal government will be legally required to develop and implement a detailed Caribbean Border Counternarcotics Strategy. The existing 1998 drug policy law will be updated to add new definitions for terms like "State" and "United States" and to include activities targeting drug trafficking financial networks.
Important Definitions
"State" means each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and all territories and possessions of the United States. "United States" in a geographical sense means all states, the District of Columbia, all territories and possessions, and any water areas under U.S. jurisdiction.
II
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
S. 309
To amend the Office of National Drug Control Policy Reauthorization Act
of 1998 to require a Caribbean border counternarcotics strategy, and
for other purposes.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
FEBRUARY 9, 2023
Mr. SCOTT of Florida (for himself and Mr. PADILLA) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
A BILL
To amend the Office of National Drug Control Policy Reau-
thorization Act of 1998 to require a Caribbean border
counternarcotics strategy, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
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tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
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This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Caribbean Border
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Counternarcotics Strategy Act’’.
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•S 309 IS
SEC. 2. CARIBBEAN BORDER COUNTERNARCOTICS STRAT-
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EGY ACT.
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(a) DEFINITIONS.—Section 702 of the Office of Na-
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tional Drug Control Policy Reauthorization Act of 1998
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(21 U.S.C. 1701) is amended—
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(1) by redesignating paragraphs (15) through
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(17) as paragraphs (16) through (18), respectively;
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(2) by inserting after paragraph (14) the fol-
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lowing:
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‘‘(15) STATE.—The term ‘State’ means each of
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the several States of the United States, the District
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of Columbia, and each territory or possession of the
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United States.’’;
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(3) by amending paragraph (18), as redesig-
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nated—
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(A) by redesignating subparagraphs (G)
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and (H) as subparagraphs (H) and (I), respec-
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tively; and
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(B) by inserting after subparagraph (F)
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the following:
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‘‘(G) activities to map, track, dismantle,
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and disrupt the financial networks of drug traf-
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ficking organizations, transnational criminal or-
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ganizations, and money laundering organiza-
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tions involved in the manufacture and traf-
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•S 309 IS
ficking of drugs in the United States and in
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foreign countries;’’; and
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(4) by adding at the end the following:
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‘‘(19) UNITED
STATES.—The term ‘United
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States’, when used in a geographical sense, means
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all of the States, the District of Columbia, and the
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territories and possessions of the United States, and
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any waters within the jurisdiction of the United
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States.’’.
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(b) REQUIREMENT FOR CARIBBEAN BORDER COUN-
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TERNARCOTICS STRATEGY.—Section 706(c)(3) of the Of-
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fice of National Drug Control Policy Reauthorization Act
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of 1998 (21 U.S.C. 1705(c)(3)) is amended by adding at
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the end the following:
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‘‘(D) REQUIREMENT FOR CARIBBEAN BOR-
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DER COUNTERNARCOTICS STRATEGY.—
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‘‘(i) PURPOSES.—The Caribbean Bor-
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der Counternarcotics Strategy shall—
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‘‘(I) set forth the strategy of the
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Federal Government for preventing
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the illegal trafficking of drugs through
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the Caribbean region into the United
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States, including through ports of
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entry, between ports of entry, and
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across air and maritime approaches;
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‘‘(II) state the specific roles and
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responsibilities of each relevant Na-
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tional Drug Control Program agency
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for implementing the strategy;
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‘‘(III) identify the specific re-
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sources required to enable the relevant
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National Drug Control Program agen-
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cies to implement the strategy; and
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‘‘(IV) be designed to promote,
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and not hinder, legitimate trade and
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travel.
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‘‘(ii) SPECIFIC CONTENT RELATED TO
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PUERTO RICO AND THE UNITED STATES
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VIRGIN ISLANDS.—The Caribbean Border
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Counternarcotics Strategy shall include—
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‘‘(I) a strategy to prevent the il-
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legal trafficking of drugs to or
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through Puerto Rico and the United
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States Virgin Islands, including meas-
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ures to substantially reduce drug-re-
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lated violent crime on such islands;
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and
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‘‘(II) recommendations for addi-
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tional assistance or authorities, if any,
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needed by Federal, State, and local
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law enforcement agencies relating to
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the strategy, including an evaluation
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of Federal technical and financial as-
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sistance, infrastructure capacity build-
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ing, and interoperability deficiencies.’’.
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Æ
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