[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2616 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2616

To establish a National Center to Stop the Import of Illicit Synthetic 
                                 Drugs.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 13, 2023

 Ms. Pettersen (for herself and Mrs. Beatty) introduced the following 
       bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To establish a National Center to Stop the Import of Illicit Synthetic 
                                 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 ``Stop the Import of Fentanyl Act of 
2023''.

SEC. NATIONAL CENTER TO STOP THE IMPORT OF ILLICIT SYNTHETIC DRUGS.

    (a) Establishment.--There is within the Drug Enforcement 
Administration a National Center to Stop the Import of Illicit 
Synthetic Drugs (hereinafter referred to as the ``National Center'').
    (b) Director of National Center To Stop the Import of Illicit 
Synthetic Drugs.--
            (1) In general.--There is a Director of the National 
        Center, who shall be the head of the National Center, and who 
        shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and 
        consent of the Senate.
            (2) No simultaneous appointment.--The Director of the 
        National Center may not simultaneously serve in any other 
        capacity in the executive branch.
    (c) Report and Briefing Required.--
            (1) Report required.--Not later than 90 days after date of 
        enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Director of 
        the National Center shall submit to the Administrator of the 
        Drug Enforcement Administration a report including--
                    (A) an overview of how synthetic drugs come into 
                the United States;
                    (B) a strategic plan of action on each of its 
                primary missions under subsection (d); and
                    (C) identification of necessary resources from 
                agencies and Congress to accomplish the primary 
                missions under subsection (d).
            (2) Brief required.--Not later than 90 days after date of 
        enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Director of 
        the National Center shall provide a brief to Congress on the 
        report required under paragraph (1).
    (d) Primary Missions.--The primary missions of the National Center 
shall be as follows:
            (1) To serve as the primary organization in the United 
        States Government for analyzing, tracking, and halting the 
        movement of synthetic drugs domestically, particularly as it 
        relates to the trafficking of fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, and 
        precursor chemicals to produce fentanyl.
            (2) To serve as the primary organization in the United 
        States Government for tracking the movements of persons 
        trafficking in the synthetic drug trade in the United States 
        and overseas through intelligence gathering, in cooperation 
        with other agencies, including:
                    (A) The Drug Enforcement Administration.
                    (B) The Department of Justice.
                    (C) The Department of State.
                    (D) The Federal Bureau of Investigations.
                    (E) The Internal Revenue Service.
                    (F) The Department of the Treasury.
                    (G) The National Security Agency.
                    (H) The Central Intelligence Agency.
                    (I) The United States Postal Service.
                    (J) The Department of Homeland Security.
                    (K) The United States Customs and Border Patrol.
                    (L) The Office of National Drug Control Policy.
                    (M) The Office of the Director of National 
                Intelligence.
            (3) To collect and share information with the agencies 
        identified under paragraph (2) to identify and disrupt the 
        movement of fentanyl from an original source to a consumer.
            (4) To develop a strategic plan to lead agencies, as 
        appropriate, in the execution of efforts to break up the 
        synthetic drug trade, including assigning roles and 
        responsibilities to such agencies.
            (5) To ensure that agencies, as appropriate, have access to 
        and receive information from other agencies, needed to execute 
        their efforts to break up the synthetic drug trade or perform 
        independent, alternative analysis of the synthetic drug trade.
            (6) To ensure that agencies have access to and receive 
        intelligence needed to accomplish any activities assigned to 
        such agency pursuant to this subsection.
            (7) To serve as the central and shared knowledge bank on 
        known and suspected drug trafficking organizations, both 
        foreign and domestic, including such organization's strategies, 
        capabilities, and networks of contacts and support.
            (8) To trace the sale proceeds of the synthetic drug trade, 
        to identify the interests of drug trafficking organizations and 
        persons trafficking in the synthetic drug trade and reveal any 
        network that facilities such trade.
    (e) Duties and Responsibilities of Director.--The Director shall:
            (1) Serve in the President's cabinet as the principal 
        advisor to the President on the synthetic drug trade.
            (2) Provide strategic operational plans for efforts of the 
        United States Government to effectively break up the synthetic 
        drug trade, both foreign and domestic.
            (3) Advise the Secretary of State on intelligence gathered 
        related to the synthetic drug trade in foreign countries.
            (4) Support relevant agencies in their efforts to break up 
        the synthetic drug trade.
            (5) Testify before the appropriate Congressional committees 
        annually.
    (f) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this Act shall be construed 
to limit the action of any person acting in compliance with State law 
relating to the manufacture, production, possession, distribution, 
dispensation, administration, or delivery of cannabis.
    (g) Sunset.--
            (1) In general.--The National Center shall terminate on the 
        date that is five years after the date of the enactment of this 
        Act.
            (2) Additional time period.--The President may authorize 
        the National Center to operate for an additional two years 
        after the date of termination under paragraph (1).
    (h) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Agency.--The term ``agency'' shall have the meaning 
        given such term in section 551 of title 5, United States Code.
            (2) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
        ``appropriate Congressional committees'' means the--
                    (A) Financial Services Committee of the House of 
                Representatives;
                    (B) Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House 
                of Representatives;
                    (C) Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 
                Representatives; and
                    (D) Committee on Homeland Security of the House of 
                Representatives.
            (3) Drug trafficking organization.--The term ``drug 
        trafficking organization'' means a complex organization with 
        highly defined command-and-control structures that produce, 
        transport, or distribute large quantities of one or more 
        synthetic drugs.
            (4) Persons trafficking in the synthetic drug trade.--The 
        term ``persons trafficking in the synthetic drug trade'' means 
        a person that plays a role in the synthetic drug trade.
            (5) Synthetic drug trade.--The term ``synthetic drug 
        trade'' means any illicit activity to cultivate, produce, 
        manufacture, distribute, sell, finance, or transport synthetic 
        drugs, or otherwise endeavor or attempt to do so, or to assist, 
        abet, conspire, or collude with others to do so.
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