House Panel Proposes New Sanctions Tools to Stem China’s Fentanyl Trade
The House Select Committee on China’s fentanyl policy working group unveiled three bipartisan bills Dec. 17 to counter China’s role as the world’s leading supplier of precursor chemicals for fentanyl.
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“For far too long, China has profited from the destruction of American lives,” said Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash., co-lead of the working group. “The legislation that we are endorsing … is a direct response to this outrage.”
The CCP Fentanyl Sanctions Act would codify executive order 14059, which clarified the president’s power to sanction those involved in drug trafficking (see 2212190019). It also would expand existing sanctions authorities to target Chinese ports, vessels and online marketplaces that facilitate drug trafficking. Certain foreign financial institution accounts that facilitate drug trafficking also could be restricted.
The Joint Task Force to Counter Illicit Synthetic Narcotics Act would create a federal task force to coordinate efforts to disrupt trafficking networks and enforce sanctions. A third bill, the International Protection from PRC Fentanyl Act, would fine Chinese ports, vessels and exporters that fail to implement transparency safeguards that are intended to prevent fentanyl trafficking.
Leaders of the committee and working group said they hope to get the bills passed in the next Congress. The working group was formed in June (see 2406200064), and its legislation builds on a report the committee released in April (see 2404160039).