What This Bill Does
This bill directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology to lead coordinated research on detecting and identifying xylazine (a nonopoid tranquilizer), novel synthetic opioids, and other new psychoactive substances. The bill also requires a government study on current federal abilities to respond to these drug threats.
Who It Affects
The National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, federal laboratories, state and local agencies, state fusion centers, colleges and universities, nonprofit organizations, and the private sector.
Key Provisions
- The National Institute of Standards and Technology Director must support research to develop analytical methods to identify and differentiate substances containing xylazine, novel synthetic opioids, or other new psychoactive substances (Sec. 2(b)(1)(A))
- The Director must support development of measurement technologies to shorten analysis timelines and improve narcotic and opioid detection capabilities (Sec. 2(b)(1)(B))
- The Director must convene multiple organizations including federal agencies, states, and institutions of higher education to develop coordinated strategies and voluntary best practices for handling, transporting, sharing data about, and analyzing these substances (Sec. 2(b)(3))
- The Director must establish collaborative partnerships with government agencies, universities, federal laboratories, and the private sector to enhance detection and analysis capabilities (Sec. 2(b)(4))
- The Comptroller General must conduct a study evaluating federal, state, and local capabilities to detect these substances and submit findings to Congress (Sec. 3(a) and 3(b))
What Changes
The National Institute of Standards and Technology gains new responsibility to coordinate research on detecting illicit drugs containing xylazine and synthetic opioids. The federal government will also conduct a comprehensive study of current capabilities across all levels of government to identify and respond to these drug threats.
Important Definitions
Xylazine is defined as a nonopioId tranquilizer methyl benzene compound frequently used in veterinary medicine as an emetic (substance that causes vomiting) and sedative with pain-relieving and muscle relaxant properties.
Effective Date
Not specified in bill text
137 STAT. 125
PUBLIC LAW 118–23—DEC. 19, 2023
Public Law 118–23
118th Congress
An Act
To require coordinated National Institute of Standards and Technology science
and research activities regarding illicit drugs containing xylazine, novel synthetic
opioids, and other substances of concern, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Testing, Rapid Analysis, and
Narcotic Quality Research Act of 2023’’ or the ‘‘TRANQ Research
Act of 2023’’.
SEC. 2. XYLAZINE DETECTION AND ANALYSIS.
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:
(1) DIRECTOR.—The term ‘‘Director’’ means the Director
of the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
(2) FEDERAL LABORATORY.—The term ‘‘Federal laboratory’’
has the meaning given such term in section 4 of the Stevenson-
Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3703).
(3) INSTITUTE.—The term ‘‘Institute’’ means the National
Institute of Standards and Technology.
(4) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The term ‘‘institu-
tion of higher education’’ has the meaning given such term
in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (19 U.S.C.
1001).
(5)
NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATION.—The
term
‘‘nonprofit
organization’’ means an organization described in section
501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt
from tax under section 501(a) of such code.
(6) XYLAZINE.—The term ‘‘xylazine’’ means the nonopioid
tranquilizer methyl benzene compound frequently used in vet-
erinary medicine as an emetic and sedative with analgesic
and muscle relaxant properties.
(b) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall—
(1) support intramural basic measurement science and
research of the Institute to advance—
(A) analytical methods to identify, understand, dif-
ferentiate, and categorize substances containing xylazine,
novel synthetic opioids, or other new psychoactive sub-
stances;
(B) measurement technologies to shorten analysis
timelines and enhance narcotic and opioid detection and
analysis capabilities;
(C) new data tools, techniques, and processes to iden-
tify and publicly disclose relevant information concerning
15 USC 278u.
15 USC 271 note.
Testing, Rapid
Analysis, and
Narcotic Quality
Research Act of
2023.
Dec. 19, 2023
[H.R. 1734]
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137 STAT. 126
PUBLIC LAW 118–23—DEC. 19, 2023
substances containing xylazine, novel synthetic opioids, or
other new psychoactive substances; and
(D) such other areas as the Director determines to
be critical to the development and deployment of tech-
nologies to measure and analyze the presence of xylazine,
novel synthetic opioids, and other new psychoactive sub-
stances;
(2) support activities to inform and expand the development
of near-real time spectrometry capabilities regarding xylazine,
novel synthetic opioids, and other new psychoactive substances;
(3) convene and consult with organizations engaged in the
analysis of new psychoactive substances to develop coordinated
strategies and voluntary best practices for the safe handling,
transport, data-sharing, and analysis of substances containing
xylazine, novel synthetic opioids, or other new psychoactive
substances, including—
(A) the Drug Enforcement Administration;
(B) the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention;
(C) the National Institute on Drug Abuse;
(D) Federal laboratories;
(E) States and territories;
(F) State fusion centers;
(G) the private sector;
(H) intergovernmental organizations;
(I) institutions of higher education, and
(J) nonprofit organizations;
(4) establish or expand collaborative partnerships or con-
sortia with other government agencies and persons engaged
in related research and development, such as institutions of
higher education, Federal laboratories, public health agencies,
intergovernmental organizations, and the private sector, to
enhance narcotic and opioid detection and analysis capabilities
regarding xylazine, novel synthetic opioids, and other new
psychoactive substances; and
(5) encourage graduate and post-graduate research to
include detection and identification of xylazine and other new
psychoactive substances in relevant course studies when prac-
ticable.
(c) CONTROLS.—In carrying out activities under this section,
the Director shall ensure proper security controls are implemented
to protect sensitive information, as the Director considers appro-
priate and consistent with applicable provisions of law.
(d) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Director shall submit to the Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Com-
mittee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Represent-
atives a report on the implementation of this section. Such report
may include recommendations for legislative action to improve the
ability of the Director to carry out this section.
SEC. 3. STUDY ON UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT TECHNOLOGIES AND
ANALYTICAL METHODS TO DETECT AND IDENTIFY NEW
PSYCHOACTIVE SUBSTANCES.
(a) STUDY.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Comptroller General of the United
States shall conduct a study of the capabilities of the Federal
Consultation.
Strategies.
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137 STAT. 127
PUBLIC LAW 118–23—DEC. 19, 2023
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 1734 (S. 1280):
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 118–50 (Comm. on Science, Space, and Technology).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 169 (2023):
May 9, 11, considered and passed House.
June 22, considered and passed Senate, amended.
Dec. 4, House concurred in Senate amendment.
Æ
Government to respond to the threats of new psychoactive
substances such as xylazine.
(2) MATTERS EVALUATED.—The study conducted pursuant
to paragraph (1) shall include an evaluation of the following:
(A) The capabilities, including technologies and analyt-
ical methods, of Federal, State, and local agencies to detect
and identify new psychoactive substances such as xylazine.
(B) An analysis of timeframes for identification and
development of technologies and methods to identify new
psychoactive substances by Federal, State, and local agen-
cies.
(C) Facilities, including laboratories, used by Federal,
State, and local agencies for the identification of new
psychoactive substances such as xylazine.
(D) Federal grant programs to fund new technology
development to detect and identify new psychoactive sub-
stances.
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 2 years after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit to
the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the
Senate and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of
the House of Representatives a report containing the findings of
the Comptroller General with respect to the study conducted pursu-
ant to subsection (a).
Approved December 19, 2023.
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