[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1280 Reported in Senate (RS)]

<DOC>





                                                       Calendar No. 286
118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1280

 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.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 25, 2023

   Mr. Cruz (for himself, Mr. Welch, Mrs. Capito, Mr. Warnock, Mrs. 
 Blackburn, and Ms. Cantwell) introduced the following bill; which was 
  read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
                             Transportation

                           December 13, 2023

              Reported by Ms. Cantwell, with an amendment
 [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed 
                               in italic]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 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,

<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    This Act may be cited as the ``Testing, Rapid Analysis, 
and Narcotic Quality Research Act of 2023'' or the ``TRANQ Research Act 
of 2023''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 2. XYLAZINE DETECTION AND ANALYSIS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Definitions.--In this section:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the 
        Director of the National Institute of Standards and 
        Technology.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (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).</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Institute.--The term ``Institute'' means the 
        National Institute of Standards and Technology.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given such 
        term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (19 
        U.S.C. 1001).</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (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.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (6) Xylazine.--The term ``xylazine'' means the 
        nonopioid tranquilizer methyl benzene compound frequently used 
        in veterinary medicine as an emetic and sedative with analgesic 
        and muscle relaxant properties.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) In General.--The Director shall--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) support intramural basic measurement science 
        and research of the Institute to advance--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) analytical methods to identify, 
                understand, differentiate, and categorize illicit drugs 
                containing xylazine, novel synthetic opioids, or other 
                emerging substances of concern;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) measurement technologies to shorten 
                analysis timelines and enhance narcotic and opioid 
                detection and analysis capabilities in illicit 
                drugs;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) new data tools, techniques, and 
                processes to identify and publicly disclose relevant 
                information concerning illicit drugs containing 
                xylazine, novel synthetic opioids, or other emerging 
                substances of concern; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) all other areas determined by the 
                Director to be critical to the development and 
                deployment of technologies to measure and analyze the 
                presence of xylazine, novel synthetic opioids, and 
                other emerging substances of concern in illicit 
                drugs;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) support activities to inform and expand the 
        development of near-real time spectrometry capabilities 
        regarding xylazine, novel synthetic opioids, and other emerging 
        compounds in illicit drugs;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) convene the private sector, institutions of 
        higher education, nonprofit organizations, Federal 
        laboratories, and other Federal agencies engaged in the 
        analysis of illicit drugs to develop coordinated strategies and 
        voluntary best practices for the safe handling, transport, and 
        analysis of illicit drugs containing xylazine, novel synthetic 
        opioids, or other emerging substances of concern;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) establish or expand collaborative partnerships 
        or consortia with other government agencies engaged in 
        counternarcotic research and development, institutions of 
        higher education, Federal laboratories, and the private sector 
        to enhance narcotic and opioid detection and analysis 
        capabilities regarding xylazine, novel synthetic opioids, and 
        other emerging substances of concern in illicit drugs; 
        and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) provide opportunities for graduate and 
        postgraduate research on the detection and identification of 
        xylazine, novel synthetic opioids, and other emerging 
        substances of concern in illicit drugs.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Controls.--In carrying out activities under this 
section, the Director shall ensure proper security controls are 
implemented to protect sensitive information, as appropriate.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Director 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 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.</DELETED>

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 
        ``institution 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 
        veterinary 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, 
                differentiate, and categorize substances containing 
                xylazine, novel synthetic opioids, or other new 
                psychoactive substances;
                    (B) measurement technologies to shorten analysis 
                timelines and enhance narcotic and opioid detection and 
                analysis capabilities;
                    (C) new data tools, techniques, and processes to 
                identify and publicly disclose relevant information 
                concerning 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 
                technologies to measure and analyze the presence of 
                xylazine, novel synthetic opioids, and other new 
                psychoactive substances;
            (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 
        consortia 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 
        emerging substances of concern in relevant course studies when 
        practicable.
    (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 appropriate 
and consistent with applicable provisions of law.
    (d) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Director 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 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 
        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 
                analytical 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 agencies.
                    (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 
                substances.
    (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 Transportation and the House Committee on Science a report 
containing the findings of the Comptroller General with respect to the 
study conducted pursuant to subsection (a).
                                                       Calendar No. 286

118th CONGRESS

  1st Session

                                S. 1280

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 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.

_______________________________________________________________________

                           December 13, 2023

                       Reported with an amendment