[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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