[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4491 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 4491

   To designate methamphetamine as an emerging threat, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             August 6, 2020

Mrs. Feinstein (for herself and Mr. Grassley) introduced the following 
    bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the 
                               Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To designate methamphetamine as an emerging threat, 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 ``Methamphetamine Response Act of 
2020''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Methamphetamine poses a significant public health and 
        safety threat and qualifies as an emerging drug threat, as 
        defined in section 702 of the Office of National Drug Control 
        Policy Reauthorization Act of 1998 (21 U.S.C. 1701).
            (2) Methamphetamine treatment admissions increased from 
        15.1 percent of all admissions in 2008 to 23.6 percent in 2017, 
        the latest year for which data is available.
            (3) During the timeframe described in paragraph (2)--
                    (A) methamphetamine-related treatment admissions 
                among women increased from 19.2 percent of all drug-
                related treatment admissions to 28.3 percent; and
                    (B) heroin use among those admitted for 
                methamphetamine-related treatment increased from 5.3 
                percent to 23.6 percent.
            (4) By the end of 2019, methamphetamine availability, use, 
        purity, and potency had increased nationally, as street-level 
        prices declined.
            (5) Methamphetamine use is a nationwide issue. Its use 
        remains widespread in Midwest and Western States and is 
        becoming increasingly prevalent in Northeastern States.
            (6) Methamphetamine is the drug most often associated with 
        violent crime.
            (7) According to the Centers for Disease Control and 
        Prevention--
                    (A) between 2018 and 2019, drug overdose deaths 
                involving methamphetamine and other stimulants 
                increased by 27 percent nationally;
                    (B) the number of deaths described in subparagraph 
                (A) increased in 27 of the 38 States that provide drug-
                specific overdose data to the Centers for Disease 
                Control and Prevention; and
                    (C) between January 2019 and January 2020, among 36 
                States and the District of Columbia, suspected 
                stimulant overdoses, including methamphetamine, treated 
                in emergency departments increased by 23 percent.
            (8) Methamphetamine-related overdose deaths will likely 
        continue to increase in 2020, due in part to the ongoing COVID-
        19 pandemic, which makes obtaining treatment for substance use 
        disorders, including methamphetamine use, more difficult.
            (9) The increase in methamphetamine use and the negative 
        respiratory and pulmonary health effects associated with its 
        use has caused the National Institute on Drug Abuse to warn 
        clinicians to be prepared to monitor adverse effects when 
        treating individuals using methamphetamine who also have COVID-
        19.
            (10) Since the onset of COVID-19 in the United States, the 
        number of law enforcement and first responder agencies entering 
        data into nationwide overdose mapping applications to track 
        real-time suspected overdoses, including methamphetamine 
        overdoses, has increased.
            (11) In the first 9 months of fiscal year 2020, there was a 
        52 percent increase in the amount of methamphetamine seized by 
        U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
            (12) Public reports indicated that Mexican cartels may be 
        stockpiling illicit drugs, including methamphetamine, on the 
        Mexican side of the Southwest Border and could flood cities 
        across the United States with these narcotics once the COVID-19 
        pandemic ends or when restrictions at ports of entry at the 
        U.S.-Mexico border loosen.
            (13) Intentional preparation to counter any surges in 
        production, distribution, and use are essential in lowering 
        methamphetamine-related overdose deaths and substance use 
        disorders.

SEC. 3. DECLARATION OF EMERGING THREAT.

    (a) In General.--Congress declares methamphetamine an emerging drug 
threat, as defined in section 702 of the Office of National Drug 
Control Policy Reauthorization Act of 1998 (21 U.S.C. 1701), in the 
United States.
    (b) Required Emerging Threat Response Plan.--Not later than 90 days 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office of 
National Drug Control Policy shall establish and implement an Emerging 
Threat Response Plan that is specific to methamphetamine in accordance 
with section 709(d) of the Office of National Drug Control Policy 
Reauthorization Act of 1998 (21 U.S.C. 1708(d)).
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