SAFE from Illicit Foreign Opioids Act

I 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 2780 To require the Secretary of State to develop and maintain an international diplomatic and assistance strategy to stop the flow of illicit opioids, including fentanyl, into the United States, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MAY 16, 2019 Mr. MCCAUL (for himself and Mr. SIRES) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs A BILL To require the Secretary of State to develop and maintain an international diplomatic and assistance strategy to stop the flow of illicit opioids, including fentanyl, into the United States, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Save American Fami- 4 lies Everywhere from Illicit Foreign Opioids Act’’ or the 5 ‘‘SAFE from Illicit Foreign Opioids Act’’. 6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 7 Congress finds the following: 8 VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:03 May 31, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2780.IH H2780 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 2780 IH (1) From 1999–2017, nearly 400,000 people in 1 the United States died from opioid overdose. 2 (2) Overdose deaths from opioids have in- 3 creased nearly six-fold since 1999, killing approxi- 4 mately 130 Americans every day. 5 (3) Since 2013, there has been a significant in- 6 crease in overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids, 7 particularly fentanyl. 8 (4) Opioids, especially synthetic opioids such as 9 fentanyl, are currently the main driver of drug over- 10 dose deaths, and were involved in nearly 68 percent 11 of all drug overdose deaths in 2017. 12 (5) Fentanyl illicitly trafficked into the United 13 States from abroad is significantly responsible for 14 the ongoing fentanyl epidemic. 15 (6) The vast majority of heroin used in the 16 United States comes from Mexico, and fentanyl gen- 17 erally originates from sources in China. 18 (7) Illicit opioids are trafficked into the United 19 States through a variety of routes, including over- 20 land across the Southwest border, and through on- 21 line orders that are shipped by international mail 22 and express consignment services. 23 (8) Because these illicit drugs originate almost 24 exclusively from overseas, stopping these drug flows 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:03 May 31, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2780.IH H2780 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 2780 IH requires enhanced foreign policy engagement by the 1 United States. 2 SEC. 3. INTERNATIONAL STRATEGY TO STOP ILLICIT 3 OPIOID FLOWS. 4 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of State, in con- 5 junction with the heads of other Federal agencies, as ap- 6 propriate, shall develop and maintain an international dip- 7 lomatic and assistance strategy to stop the flow of illicit 8 opioids into the United States. 9 (b) ELEMENTS.—The strategy required under sub- 10 section (a) shall include, at a minimum, the following: 11 (1) A clear statement of the goals and objec- 12 tives of the strategy. 13 (2) A description of the activities and tools nec- 14 essary to implement the strategy. 15 (3) An identification of concrete benchmarks to 16 judge progress in implementing the strategy. 17 (4) A description of the programs and activities 18 currently underway in support of the strategy. 19 (5) Information on efforts and activities funded 20 or implemented in foreign countries by other Federal 21 agencies relevant to the strategy. 22 (c) PRIORITIES.—The strategy required under sub- 23 section (a), and the activities and assistance used to imple- 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:03 May 31, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2780.IH H2780 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 2780 IH ment the strategy, should, at a minimum, prioritize the 1 following: 2 (1) Reducing the illicit production of opioids, 3 including by better enforcement of controls to deny 4 producers of illicit synthetic drugs access to pre- 5 cursor chemicals. 6 (2) Strengthening the capacity of partner coun- 7 tries to detect, interdict, and share information on 8 opioid threats. 9 (3) Increasing the ability and political will of 10 foreign countries to target online opioid sales, associ- 11 ated financial flows, and the use of postal systems 12 and shipping services to transport illicit opioids, in- 13 cluding fentanyl. 14 (4) Improving the international legal framework 15 for drug control to better keep pace with rapidly 16 evolving synthetic drug threats. 17 (5) Developing and enhancing partnerships with 18 governments, industry, and international organiza- 19 tions to combat current and emerging opioid threats. 20 (6) Supporting international efforts to decrease 21 global demand for illicit opioids. 22 (d) REPORT AND UPDATE ON STRATEGY.—Not later 23 than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act 24 and annually thereafter for seven years, the Secretary of 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:03 May 31, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2780.IH H2780 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 5 •HR 2780 IH State shall submit to the appropriate congressional com- 1 mittees a report consisting of the following: 2 (1) The strategy required under subsection (a). 3 (2) Beginning with the second report required 4 under this subsection, a list and description of the 5 following: 6 (A) Benchmarks achieved since the imme- 7 diately preceding report. 8 (B) Any United States programs or activi- 9 ties in support of the strategy initiated since 10 the immediately preceding report. 11 (C) A list and description of concrete ac- 12 tions and commitments by foreign countries 13 and multilateral institutions since the imme- 14 diately preceding report relevant to the strat- 15 egy. 16 SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR ACTIVI- 17 TIES TO STOP ILLICIT OPIOID FLOWS. 18 There are authorized to be appropriated to the Sec- 19 retary of State for each of fiscal years 2020 and 2021— 20 (1) not less than $12,500,000 for centrally 21 funded drug supply reduction activities by the Bu- 22 reau of International Narcotics and Law Enforce- 23 ment Affairs of the Department of State; and 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:03 May 31, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2780.IH H2780 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 6 •HR 2780 IH (2) not less than $12,500,000 for centrally 1 funded demand reduction activities by the Bureau. 2 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:03 May 31, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H2780.IH H2780 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS