-
WASHINGTON—The House on Sept. 2 overwhelmingly passed a bill seeking to stop the flow of fentanyl from China.
The tally was 407–4.
The
Stop Chinese Fentanyl Act, introduced by Rep. Andy Barr (R-Ky.), would impose sanctions on Chinese producers of synthetic opioids and opioid precursors.
It would amend the
Fentanyl Sanctions Act by allowing the U.S. government to implement sanctions on Chinese individuals and entities tied to producing, selling, financing, or transporting synthetic opioids or their precursor chemicals. It would also hold accountable those who refuse to cooperate with U.S. counternarcotics efforts to detect or prevent opioid trafficking.
.
“The Chinese Communist Party plays a prominent role in every step of the fentanyl crisis, from producing precursor chemicals to laundering cartel profits that fund the illegal trafficking into the United States,” said Barr in
a Jan. 30 statement.
In the 2024 fiscal year, the United States
seized more than 27,000 pounds of fentanyl, most of the confiscations happening at the southern border, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
Despite China banning fentanyl exports to the United States in 2019, it is still a major source of the illicit drug, which is known to make its way across the southern border through Mexican cartels.
“The tragic opioid epidemic in America is fueled by fentanyl shipped over from China and smuggled into our communities through Mexico,” said Rep. Greg Murphy (R-N.C.) in
a Jan. 30 statement. “We cannot allow this devastation to continue and must stand up to the Chinese Communist Party.”
The bill would require the president to submit a periodic evaluation to Congress if the commander-in-chief declares a national emergency with respect to the issue of Chinese fentanyl.
The report to the House Oversight, Financial Services and Foreign Affairs Committees and the Senate Homeland Security, Foreign Relations and Banking Committees would assess “the effectiveness of the exercise of such authority in resolving the covered national emergency, consider the views of public- and private-sector stakeholders; and discuss any potential changes to the exercise of the authority for the purpose of more effectively resolving the covered national emergency.”
One Iowa lawmaker said Beijing must be held accountable.
“Fentanyl is the number one killer of Americans from my daughter’s age to my age. Something has to change,” said Rep. Zach Nunn (R-Iowa) in
a Jan. 30 statement. “Securing the border is the first step to stopping the scourge of fentanyl pouring into our communities. But we must also cut off the cartel’s supply at its source. That starts with holding the Chinese Communist Party accountable for their role as the primary manufacturer, supplier, and launderer of these illicit drugs worldwide.”
.
Joseph Lord contributed to this report.
.
Udumbara
