[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 156 (Thursday, September 26, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H8022-H8024]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       JOINT TASK FORCE TO COMBAT OPIOID TRAFFICKING ACT OF 2019

  Mr. CORREA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 3722) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to 
authorize a Joint Task Force to enhance integration of the Department 
of Homeland Security's border security operations to detect, interdict, 
disrupt, and prevent narcotics, such as fentanyl and other synthetic 
opioids, from entering the United States, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 3722

       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 ``Joint Task Force to Combat 
     Opioid Trafficking Act of 2019''.

     SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF JOINT TASK FORCE TO COUNTER OPIOIDS.

       Subsection (b) of section 708 of the Homeland Security Act 
     of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 348) is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (2)(A), by adding at the end the following 
     new clause:
       ``(iv) Enhancing the integration of the Department's border 
     security operations to detect, interdict, disrupt, and 
     prevent narcotics, such as fentanyl and other synthetic 
     opioids, from entering the United States.'';
       (2) by redesignating paragraphs (9) through (13) as 
     paragraphs (11) through (15), respectively; and
       (3) by inserting after paragraph (8) the following new 
     paragraphs:
       ``(9) Engagement with the private sector.--
       ``(A) In general.--The Director of a Joint Task Force may 
     engage with representatives from a private sector 
     organization for the purpose of carrying out the mission of 
     such Joint Task Force, and any such engagement shall not be 
     subject to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. 
     App.).
       ``(B) Assistance from private sector.--

[[Page H8023]]

       ``(i) In general.--Notwithstanding subsection (b)(1), the 
     Secretary, with the agreement of a private sector 
     organization, may arrange for the temporary assignment of an 
     employee of such organization to a Joint Task Force in 
     accordance with this paragraph.
       ``(ii) Agreement.--The Secretary shall provide for a 
     written agreement between the Department, the private sector 
     organization concerned, and the employee concerned regarding 
     the terms and conditions of the assignment of such employee 
     under this paragraph.
       ``(C) No financial liability.--Any agreement under this 
     paragraph shall require the private sector organization 
     concerned to be responsible for all costs associated with the 
     assignment of an employee under this paragraph.
       ``(D) Duration.--An assignment under this paragraph may, at 
     any time and for any reason, be terminated by the Secretary 
     or the private sector organization concerned and shall be for 
     a total period of not more than two years.
       ``(10) Collaboration with task forces outside dhs.--The 
     Secretary may enter into a memorandum of understanding by 
     which a Joint Task Force established under this section to 
     carry out any purpose specified in paragraph (2)(A) and any 
     other Federal, State, local, Tribal, territorial, or 
     international entity or task force established for a similar 
     purpose may collaborate for the purpose of carrying out the 
     mission of such Joint Task Force.''.

     SEC. 3. NOTIFICATION; REPORTING.

       (a) Notification.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security 
     shall--
       (1) make a determination regarding whether to establish a 
     Joint Task Force under section 708 of the Homeland Security 
     Act of 2002 to carry out the purpose specified in clause (iv) 
     of subsection (b)(2)(A) of such section, as added by section 
     2 of this Act; and
       (2) submit to the Committee on Homeland Security of the 
     House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland 
     Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate written 
     notification of such determination, including, if such 
     determination is in the negative, information on the basis 
     for such negative determination.
       (b) Reporting.--If the Secretary of Homeland Security 
     establishes a Joint Task Force under section 708 of the 
     Homeland Security Act of 2002 to carry out the purpose 
     specified in clause (iv) of subsection (b)(2)(A) of such 
     section, as added by section 2 of this Act, the Secretary 
     shall--
       (1) beginning with the first report required under 
     subsection (b)(6)(F) of such section 708, include with 
     respect to such a Joint Task Force--
       (A) a gap analysis of funding, personnel, technology, or 
     other resources needed in order to detect, interdict, 
     disrupt, and prevent narcotics, such as fentanyl and other 
     synthetic opioids, from entering the United States; and
       (B) a description of collaboration pursuant to subsection 
     (b)(10) of such section (as added by section 2 of this Act) 
     between such a Joint Task Force and any other Federal, State, 
     local, Tribal, territorial, or international task force, 
     including the United States Postal Service and the United 
     States Postal Inspection Service; and
       (2) in each review required under subsection (b)(11)(C) of 
     section 708 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as 
     redesignated by section 2 of this Act, an assessment of the 
     activities of such a Joint Task Force, including an 
     evaluation of whether such Joint Task Force has enhanced 
     integration of the Department's efforts, created any unique 
     capabilities, or otherwise enhanced operational 
     effectiveness, coordination, or information sharing to 
     detect, interdict, disrupt, and prevent narcotics, such as 
     fentanyl and other synthetic opioids, from entering the 
     United States.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Correa) and the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Green) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. CORREA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to 
include extraneous materials on this measure.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CORREA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, every day, in communities across this country, synthetic 
opioids kill Americans in shocking numbers. H.R. 3722 will take a step 
forward by addressing this epidemic, which is one of the most severe 
ever facing our country.
  The opioid crisis, having already claimed hundreds of thousands of 
American lives over the past two decades, has evolved into a new and 
even more dangerous phase.
  The first periods of the crisis were characterized by the overuse of 
prescription opioids and heroin. Devastating as these stages were, the 
current phase is even more deadly still.
  Fentanyl and other synthetic opioids are coming into our country from 
laboratories in China and Mexico and are wreaking havoc on communities 
across the entire country. These extremely potent chemicals frequently 
cross our borders through legal channels such as international mail 
facilities, sometimes in small packages, and are difficult to detect or 
interdict. The bill now before us aims to address part of this 
challenge.
  The Joint Task Force to Combat Opioid Trafficking Act, sponsored by 
Representative  Jim Langevin, passed through the House on a voice vote 
during the 115th Congress before stalling in the Senate. This Congress, 
the bill, once again, passed out of the Committee on Homeland Security 
with unanimous consent.
  The core of this bill will require the Department of Homeland 
Security to stand up a joint task force dedicated to preventing 
synthetic opioids from reaching our borders. The joint task force model 
allows DHS to ensure that the strengths and capabilities of its various 
components are all leveraged to maximum effect.
  Steps such as improved screening procedures, greater targeting of 
suspicious senders, and better information-sharing processes can all 
aid our law enforcement agencies in halting the ongoing flow of 
synthetic opioids across our borders.
  Unlike the existing authority governing DHS joint task forces, this 
bill will allow DHS and the private sector the opportunity to 
collaborate on this challenge. Private-sector partners also have 
strengths and capabilities that can greatly enhance joint efforts to 
prevent legitimate commercial activities from being exploited by bad 
actors.
  The crisis at hand requires innovative solutions. A greater focus on 
increased collaboration between DHS, its components, and private-sector 
partners all could go a long way in addressing a major driver of this 
crisis.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my House colleagues to support this legislation, 
and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GREEN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3722.
  The opioid epidemic continues to devastate communities across this 
Nation. Approximately 115 Americans die every single day from an opioid 
overdose. Opioid abuse doesn't discriminate. It touches people from 
every age group, race, class, gender, background, and economic status.

                              {time}  1430

  Some Americans become addicted after taking doctor-prescribed doses 
for an injury or a surgery, while others try them in illicit forms and 
become dependent.
  Another disturbing trend we are seeing is illicit drugs being laced 
with fentanyl, which is 100 times more powerful than morphine, 
frequently leading to accidental overdose.
  We have seen estimates concluding that more than 2 million of our 
fellow Americans are addicted to opioids, and, as a physician, I have 
seen lives devastated, families disrupted and often destroyed as the 
addict's behavior drives them to horrific acts.
  As we work to confront this epidemic, we must prevent 
overprescription, stop the illicit flow into the United States, and 
treat those Americans who have become addicted.
  This bill would authorize a joint task force within the Department of 
Homeland Security to organize opioid interdiction efforts across 
multiple components and agencies in a unity-of-effort campaign. It 
would also leverage domestic and international partners to provide a 
multifaceted approach to tackling the issue.
  Most illicit opioids are produced in China and smuggled by mail, 
where vulnerabilities in the postal system are exploited. U.S. Customs 
and Border Protection is also seeing increased traffic from Mexico with 
opioids hidden in vehicles and cargo entering through the U.S. ports.
  The joint task force approach to the opioid epidemic is effective 
because it fosters information sharing and exchange between all 
relevant stakeholders to combat the opioid epidemic.

[[Page H8024]]

  While there are no quick or easy solutions to this epidemic, H.R. 
3722 is a step in the right direction. I support this bill, and I 
encourage my colleagues to do the same.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CORREA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from 
Rhode Island (Mr. Langevin).
  Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3722, the Joint Task Force to 
Combat Opioid Trafficking Act of 2019.
  Mr. Speaker, we are in the midst of a public health emergency that 
has devastated communities across the country, including in my home 
State of Rhode Island.
  No matter your race, gender, age, or religion, Americans are 
suffering from the opioid overdose epidemic. In 2017, approximately 
47,600 fatalities were attributed to opioid overdose.
  Fentanyl is exacerbating the problem. This powerful, synthetic 
opioid, 25 to 50 times stronger than heroin and 50 to 100 times more 
powerful than morphine, caused more than 15 times more deaths in 2017 
than in 2009.
  The majority of opioids interdicted by the United States law 
enforcement agencies are seized at ports of entry. In fact, the 
southern border accounts for at least 75 percent of all opioids 
collected.
  I am pleased to offer a solution with my colleagues, Mr. King from 
New York, Mr. Rose, and Mr. McCaul, that will strengthen the Department 
of Homeland Security's fight against the drug crisis.
  This bill authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish 
a task force to enhance the internal integration of the Department's 
border security operations to detect, interdict, disrupt, and prevent 
narcotics, including fentanyl, from entering the United States in the 
first place.
  Secretary Johnson was the first to use the joint task force model to 
achieve better unity of effort across the Department's components.
  All of DHS' many agencies, from Customs and Border Protection to the 
United States Coast Guard, have an important role to play when it comes 
to combating opioid trafficking. So if the Homeland Security 
investigations are looking into a fentanyl distribution ring, for 
example, in Omaha, they need to coordinate efforts with Customs offices 
in El Paso so that packages en route to Nebraska are properly 
interdicted.
  The JTF model is intended to ensure this coordination is baked into 
the culture of DHS so that cases don't slip through the cracks. 
Congress recognized the value of Secretary Johnson's pilot JTFs when we 
formally authorized them in 2016.
  As new challenges confront the Department, we must make use of this 
organizational structure in innovative ways to maintain the synergies 
that drove the creation of DHS in the first place.
  Stopping proliferation of fentanyl is particularly well-suited to the 
JTF approach. Unlike many more traditional narcotics, fentanyl is often 
shipped directly to dealers from overseas. Fentanyl's extremely high 
potency allows these shipments to be small enough to go undetected 
unless carefully scrutinized. That is why it is essential that the 
joint task force on opioids collaborate with private-sector 
organizations and any other Federal, State, local, Tribal, territorial, 
or international entity to increase operational effectiveness, 
coordination, and information sharing.
  We need to work with partners, especially the United States Postal 
Service and private parcel delivery services like UPS and FedEx to 
ensure suspicious packages are inspected. Having a single task force 
coordinating the Department's efforts makes it much easier for other 
organizations to know whom to call.
  So this crisis gripping our Nation is, obviously, very complex. We 
cannot succeed in stemming the opioid epidemic unless the Federal 
Government recognizes the opportunity to integrate and collaborate--not 
only across agencies, but also with our private-sector partners.
  So like every bill that makes its way to the floor, this legislation 
is a result, of course, of a collaborative effort. I have to begin by 
thanking former Senator Claire McCaskill, who has been a true 
championship in driving policy to address the opioid crisis and who 
first proposed applying the JTF model to this epidemic.

  I must also thank my good friend, longtime colleague on the 
committee, and cosponsor, Congressman Peter King, who is helping ensure 
that this effort is a bipartisan one; Mr. McCaul, who helped get this 
bill to the last Congress; and, of course, Mr. Rose, who has been a 
real champion in helping to combat the opioid crisis and who has had an 
immediate impact fighting opioids since he came to Congress earlier 
this year.
  I am grateful also to Chairman Thompson for his continued leadership 
on using all of the powers of DHS to combat this epidemic.
  Like anything we do, nothing would have been possible, of course, 
without tireless staff work, and particularly that of Rosaline Cohen 
and Alex Carnes with the committee; my legislative director, Nick 
Leiserson; and also Elyssa Malin, a former staffer in my office.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
  Mr. CORREA. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the 
gentleman from Rhode Island.
  Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me the 
additional time.
  As I said before, the opioid epidemic is increasingly complex, with a 
number of factors driving the tragic increases in overdose. There is no 
silver bullet; rather, we need a whole-of-society approach. This bill 
will bring that unity of effort to the Department of Homeland Security 
so that it can be a more effective partner in turning the tide against 
opioid abuse.
  I hope all of my colleagues will join me in supporting the creation 
of a joint task force on opioids and support this bill.
  Mr. GREEN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers for 
the bill. I renew my support, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. CORREA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, our country faces a severe and ongoing crisis, with 
newly developed synthetic opioids causing tremendous suffering to our 
families, individuals, and entire communities throughout the country. 
The collaboration between private companies and the government that 
will be possible through this legislation will prove to be a crucial 
component in the task of stopping the flow of fentanyl across our 
borders.
  H.R. 3722 is a bipartisan and targeted solution to address this most 
urgent need. I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Correa) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 3722.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. CORREA. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

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