[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 88 (Friday, May 22, 2026)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E485]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    INTRODUCTION OF THE FIREWORKS TRAFFICKING AND MONEY LAUNDERING 
                             PREVENTION ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                              HON. ED CASE

                               of hawaii

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, May 22, 2026

  Mr. CASE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my Fireworks 
Trafficking and Money Laundering Prevention Act, co-introduced with my 
colleague from Hawaii, Representative Jill Tokuda.
  Our legislation addresses a growing criminal enterprise that 
threatens public safety, fuels illicit financial activity and has 
devastated communities in Hawaii and across the country. Illegal 
fireworks trafficking is far more than a minor regulatory violation. It 
is a sophisticated interstate operation involving the unlawful 
transportation, distribution and sale of explosive materials in 
violation of federal and state law. These highly profitable black-
market networks often operate for years, moving illegal fireworks 
across state lines and generating substantial criminal proceeds.
  Investigations have repeatedly shown that traffickers frequently 
engage in related financial crimes, including money laundering, 
concealing profits and evading law enforcement. Yet despite the serious 
risks involved, the current maximum federal penalty for unlawful 
interstate fireworks trafficking is only one year of imprisonment, an 
insufficient deterrent when compared to the enormous financial 
incentives these criminal enterprises enjoy.
  The consequences are severe. Illegal fireworks have caused 
catastrophic explosions, serious injuries, mass casualty incidents and 
fatalities nationwide. These incidents place enormous strain on 
firefighters, emergency responders and hospitals, while endangering 
families and neighborhoods. Because illegal fireworks are often 
manufactured, transported and stored without proper safety standards, 
they carry a heightened risk of fires and deadly explosions.
  These dangers are especially acute in Hawaii, where illegal aerial 
fireworks are regularly smuggled into our islands through shipping 
containers and underground distribution networks. Communities across 
our state have experienced tragic losses, significant property damage 
and serious injuries tied to illegal fireworks. In densely populated 
neighborhoods, a single explosion can threaten entire communities and 
overwhelm emergency response systems.
  This legislation would strengthen law enforcement's ability to combat 
these criminal networks by designating illegal interstate fireworks 
trafficking as a specified unlawful activity under federal money 
laundering statutes. Doing so would provide investigators and 
prosecutors with stronger tools to follow illicit proceeds, dismantle 
trafficking operations and hold offenders accountable with penalties 
that better reflect the seriousness of these crimes.
  I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense measure to 
strengthen public safety, combat organized criminal activity and help 
prevent future tragedies in Hawaii and across the Nation.