[118th Congress Public Law 186]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[[Page 138 STAT. 2636]]
Public Law 118-186
118th Congress
An Act
To require the Science and Technology Directorate in the Department of
Homeland Security to develop greater capacity to detect and identify
illicit substances in very low concentrations. <<NOTE: Dec. 23,
2024 - [H.R. 8663]>>
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Detection
Equipment and Technology Evaluation to Counter the Threat of Fentanyl
and Xylazine Act of 2024. 6 USC 101 note.>>
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLES.
This Act may be cited as the ``Detection Equipment and Technology
Evaluation to Counter the Threat of Fentanyl and Xylazine Act of 2024''
or the ``DETECT Fentanyl and Xylazine Act of 2024''.
SEC. 2. ENHANCING THE CAPACITY TO DETECT AND IDENTIFY DRUGS SUCH
AS FENTANYL AND XYLAZINE.
Section 302 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 182) is
amended--
(1) in paragraph (13), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(2) in paragraph (14), by striking the period at the end and
inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(15) carrying out, in coordination with the Drug
Enforcement Administration, research, development, testing,
evaluation, and cost-benefit analyses to improve the safety,
effectiveness, and efficiency of equipment and the effectiveness
and efficiency of reference libraries for use by Federal, State,
local, Tribal, and territorial law enforcement agencies for the
accurate detection of drugs, such as fentanyl and xylazine,
including--
``(A) portable equipment that can detect and
identify drugs with minimal or no handling of the
sample;
``(B) equipment that can separate complex mixtures
containing low concentrations of drugs and high
concentrations of cutting agents into their component
parts to enable signature extraction for field
identification and detection; and
``(C) technologies that use machine learning or
artificial intelligence (as defined in section 5002 of
the National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Act of
2020 (15 U.S.C. 9401)) and other techniques to predict
whether the substances in a sample are controlled
substance analogues or other new psychoactive substances
not yet included in available reference libraries.''.
[[Page 138 STAT. 2637]]
SEC. 3. <<NOTE: 6 USC 182 note.>> REQUIREMENTS.
In carrying out section 302(15) of the Homeland Security Act of
2002, as added by section 2, the Under Secretary for Science and
Technology shall--
(1) follow the recommendations, guidelines, and best
practices described in the Artificial Intelligence Risk
Management Framework (NIST AI 100-1) or any successor document
published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology;
and
(2) establish the Directorate of Science and Technology's
research, development, testing, evaluation, and cost-benefit
analysis priorities under such section 302(15) based on the
latest available information, including specific drugs
identified as threats in--
(A) the latest Homeland Threat Assessment published
by the Department of Homeland Security;
(B) the latest State and Territory Report on
Enduring and Emerging Threats published by the Drug
Enforcement Administration; or
(C) any successor documents.
SEC. 4. <<NOTE: 6 USC 182 note.>> RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.
Nothing in this Act may be construed to limit the authority of
agencies currently managing, overseeing, or otherwise involved in drug
equipment and reference libraries.
Approved December 23, 2024.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 8663 (S. 4419):
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 118-634 (Comm. on Homeland Security).
SENATE REPORTS: No. 118-253 (Comm. on Homeland Security and Governmental
Affairs) accompanying S. 4419.
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 170 (2024):
Sept. 9, considered and passed House.
Dec. 12, considered and passed Senate, amended.
Dec. 18, House concurred in Senate amendment.
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