[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 109 (Thursday, June 22, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S2249]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 139. Mr. SCHUMER (for Mr. Cruz (for himself and Ms. Cantwell))
proposed an amendment to the bill H.R. 1734, 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; as
follows:
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:
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
new psychoactive substances 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 Science, Space, and
Technology of the House of Representatives a report
containing the findings of the Comptroller General with
respect to the study conducted pursuant to subsection (a).
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