[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2974 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2974

    To require the Postmaster General to establish a comprehensive 
     organizational strategy to combat the use of the mail in the 
                     distribution of illicit drugs.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            December 4, 2019

Mr. Peters (for himself and Mr. Romney) introduced the following bill; 
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security 
                        and Governmental Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To require the Postmaster General to establish a comprehensive 
     organizational strategy to combat the use of the mail in the 
                     distribution of illicit drugs.

    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 ``U.S. Postal Service Opioid and 
Illicit Drug Strategy Act of 2019''.

SEC. 2. COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY TO COMBAT ILLICIT DRUG DISTRIBUTION.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
        ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
                    (A) the Committee on Homeland Security and 
                Governmental Affairs of the Senate;
                    (B) the Committee on Oversight and Reform of the 
                House of Representatives; and
                    (C) the Committee on Homeland Security of the House 
                of Representatives.
            (2) Covered recipients.--The term ``covered recipients'' 
        means--
                    (A) the appropriate congressional committees; and
                    (B) the Director of the Office of National Drug 
                Control Policy.
            (3) Postal service.--The term ``Postal Service'' means the 
        United States Postal Service.
            (4) Strategy.--The term ``Strategy'' means the strategy 
        established by the Postmaster General under subsection (b)(1).
    (b) Strategy Required.--
            (1) Establishment, publication, and submission.--
                    (A) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the 
                enactment of this Act, the Postmaster General shall 
                establish, publish online, and submit to the covered 
                recipients a comprehensive organizational strategy to 
                combat the use of the mail in the distribution of 
                illicit drugs.
                    (B) Sensitive and proprietary information.--If the 
                Strategy includes sensitive or proprietary information, 
                the Postmaster General--
                            (i) may exclude that information from the 
                        version of the Strategy published online; and
                            (ii) shall submit that information to the 
                        covered recipients, in a classified annex if 
                        necessary.
            (2) Requirements.--The Strategy shall--
                    (A) support the Postal Service in coordinating, 
                evaluating, and improving its ongoing efforts to 
                prevent use of the mail in the distribution of illicit 
                drugs through domestic and international channels; and
                    (B) prioritize an effective response to the opioid 
                crisis and any other public health concern involving 
                illicit drugs that emerges after the date of enactment 
                of this Act.
            (3) Periodic updates.--Not later than 180 days before the 
        date on which the President is required to submit to Congress a 
        National Drug Control Strategy under section 706(a)(2) of the 
        Office of National Drug Control Policy Reauthorization Act of 
        1998 (21 U.S.C. 1705(a)(2)), the Postmaster General shall 
        update the Strategy, publish the updated Strategy online, and 
        submit the updated Strategy to the covered recipients.
    (c) Congressional Briefings.--Upon the submission of the Strategy 
to the covered recipients under subsection (b)(1), and annually 
thereafter, the Postal Service shall provide a briefing to the 
appropriate congressional committees on the status of initiatives 
implemented under the Strategy.
    (d) Elements.--The Strategy shall include the following elements:
            (1) A description of the goals and objectives of the Postal 
        Service for combating the use of the mail in the distribution 
        of illicit drugs, including fentanyl and other synthetic 
        opioids.
            (2) A description of the organizational structure the 
        Postal Service uses to efficiently carry out the objectives 
        described in paragraph (1).
            (3) A discussion of emerging trends regarding the use of 
        the mail in the distribution of illicit drugs, including--
                    (A) trends regarding the relative magnitudes and 
                threats of illicit drugs distributed through the mail 
                versus illicit drugs distributed through other 
                channels, which the Postal Service shall assess in 
                consultation with the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and 
                Border Protection and the Director of the Office of 
                National Drug Control Policy;
                    (B) the relative roles of domestic and 
                international mail; and
                    (C) any new drug threats the Postal Service has 
                observed.
            (4) An inventory and assessment of the existing programs, 
        initiatives, strategies, plans, and policies of the Postal 
        Service related to combating the use of the mail in the 
        distribution of illicit drugs, which shall include--
                    (A) with respect to each program, initiative, 
                strategy, plan, or policy--
                            (i) an evaluation of performance;
                            (ii) areas identified for improvement;
                            (iii) potential barriers to improvement; 
                        and
                            (iv) recommended changes to more 
                        effectively accomplish the goals and 
                        objectives;
                    (B) an analysis of any constraints on resources, 
                including workforce and technology resources, that 
                hinder the ability of the Postal Service to efficiently 
                and adequately carry out the objectives described in 
                paragraph (1) and address emerging trends; and
                    (C) a description of future initiatives that the 
                Postal Service is considering in response to emerging 
                trends.
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