Bipartisan Bill Backed by Senators Hassan and Shaheen to Combat Fentanyl Crisis Passes Committee

WASHINGTON – The Senate Banking Committee unanimously passed bipartisan legislation cosponsored by Senators Maggie Hassan and Jeanne Shaheen that targets the illicit fentanyl supply chain by strengthening current law and allowing the Treasury Department to increase penalties for synthetic opioid trafficking and money laundering.

The bipartisan bill takes steps to address the entire supply chain of illicit fentanyl trafficking, from chemical suppliers in China to cartels that transport the drugs through Mexico and across the U.S. border. The FEND Off Fentanyl Act is a sanctions and anti-money laundering bill that will allow U.S. government agencies to more effectively find and stop illicit opioid traffickers.

“Stopping fentanyl from entering the United States is a critical part of our efforts to combat the opioid epidemic in New Hampshire and save lives,” said Senator Hassan. “I’m glad that there is strong bipartisan support for our bipartisan bill to impose sanctions on fentanyl traffickers and their supply chains, and I urge the full Senate to pass it quickly. We must keep working together to stop the deadly flow of fentanyl into our communities.”

“Fentanyl has exacerbated the already deadly effects of the substance use disorder epidemic. To help save lives, Congress needs to act decisively to stop the flow of this illicit substance into our cities and towns,” said Senator Shaheen. “That’s why I’m a proud co-sponsor of the bipartisan FEND Off Fentanyl Act, which would help disrupt the trafficking of illegal narcotics and hold bad actors accountable for their role in targeting our communities. I’m encouraged to see our bill clear a key committee hurdle with bipartisan support, and I urge Senate leadership to bring this important legislation to the floor for a full vote as quickly as possible.”

This bipartisan bill is part of Senator Hassan’s ongoing efforts to combat the opioid epidemic. She successfully worked to pass into law the Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment (MAT) Act to increase the number of medical professionals authorized to prescribe the gold standard of opioid treatment. Recently, Senator Hassan and a bipartisan group of Senators called on the DEA to take further action to remove barriers to this treatment. Earlier this year, Senator Hassan visited Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras as part of a bipartisan Congressional Delegation trip where she spoke with foreign officials about the need to crack down on fentanyl and other drug trafficking. Senator Hassan also worked with her colleagues to pass into law the bipartisan INTERDICT Act, which has provided critical tools to Customs and Border Protection to help detect and intercept fentanyl and other illegal synthetic opioids. 

Senator Shaheen, as Chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee that funds the Department of Justice, has led efforts in the Senate to address the substance use disorder epidemic. Her bipartisan FENTANYL Results Act, signed into law as part of the fiscal year (FY) 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), increases global cooperation in the fight against synthetic drug trafficking. Shaheen also co-leads the Cooper Davis Act, a bipartisan bill to hold social media companies accountable for reporting to law enforcement all illicit fentanyl activity occurring on their platforms. In March, Shaheen and Senators Roger Marshall (R-KS) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) hosted Dr. Rahul Gupta, Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, for a discussion on the federal government’s ongoing response to the substance use disorder epidemic. In the FY 2023 government funding legislation, Shaheen secured $608 million in federal grants to help communities and first responders across the nation to respond to the substance misuse crisis. Over the last five years, New Hampshire has received more than $140 million from State Opioid Response (SOR) grants that Shaheen and Hassan have secured to combat the opioid epidemic in the state, with the hardest-hit state set-aside responsible for the majority of those funds. Shaheen also included in the FY 2023 government funding legislation language to authorize increased funding for the SOR grant program. Last year, Shaheen and Hassan led efforts to prevent a steep cliff in SOR funding, securing a commitment to protect New Hampshire funding from Health and Human Services Secretary Becerra. Shaheen and Hassan's efforts have led to a more than tenfold increase in federal treatment and prevention funding for New Hampshire. In April, Shaheen participated in a bipartisan congressional delegation visit to Latin America to address a number of pressing issues, including interdicting illicit substances from crossing the U.S. border.

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