{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://auchincloss.house.gov/media/press-releases/auchincloss-targets-chinas-role-in-us-fentanyl-crisis-with-new-bipartisan-legislation", "Auchincloss Targets China\u2019s Role in U.S. Fentanyl Crisis with New Bipartisan Legislation", "2024-12-17", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "House", "MA", "Jake Auchincloss", "A000148", "auchincloss.house.gov", "auchincloss", "https://auchincloss.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, Representative Jake Auchincloss (D-MA), Democratic Chair of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)\u2019s Fentanyl Policy Working Group introduced bipartisan legislation alongside his colleagues that holds the CCP responsible for its role in the U.S. fentanyl crisis.\n\nSpearheaded by Working Group Co-Chairs Reps. Auchincloss and Dan Newhouse (R-WA) and joined by Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI) and Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), the Fentanyl Policy Working Group spent months building on the Select Committee\u2019s bipartisan investigation, which uncovered for the first time how the CCP directly subsidizes fentanyl precursors and analogues.\n\nThe lawmakers are now introducing three bipartisan bills aimed at better coordinating law enforcement efforts, strengthening sanctions on China-based and CCP-backed entities engaged in drug trafficking, and leveraging fines against People\u2019s Republic of China (PRC) shippers that fail to implement appropriate transparency and related safeguards that hinder drug trafficking.\n\nThe bills developed by the working group are the Joint Task Force to Counter Illicit Synthetic Narcotics Act of 2024, The CCP Fentanyl Sanctions Act, and the International Protecting from PRC Fentanyl and Other Synthetic Opioids Act.\n\n\"Dismantling the fentanyl supply chain starts at the source. The CCP Fentanyl Sanctions Act sanctions Chinese chemical manufacturers that are profiting by poisoning the American people,\" said Congressman Auchincloss.\n\n\u201cFor too long, China has profited from the destruction of American lives, and the fentanyl crisis they are manufacturing knows no boundaries. As we continue our work fighting the immediate threat the drug poses, we are also going after the CCP and their central role in subsidizing, producing, and exporting the precursors that fuel this epidemic,\u201d said Congressman Newhouse.\n\n\u201cEarlier this year, the Select Committee\u2019s bipartisan investigation proved that the CCP could be doing much more to stop the flow of fentanyl. But if the CCP won\u2019t take action, Congress will,\u201d said Ranking Member Krishnamoorthi. \u201cI want to commend Congressmen Auchincloss and Newhouse for their leadership of this working group. Building off the findings of our investigation, the three bills put forth today would help save lives, and help ensure that companies in China that produce and export deadly chemicals are held accountable.\u201d\n\n\"The Becca Schmill Foundation is incredibly grateful to Representative Auchincloss for his work to protect all Americans from the continued threat posed by illicit synthetic narcotics,\u201d said Deb Mann Schmill, Founder and President of the Becca Schmill Foundation. \u201cThe three bills introduced at Congressman Auchincloss\u2019 Fentanyl Policy Working Group will provide much-needed tools to combat the current phase of the opioid crisis, which has resulted in a record loss of life.\"\n\nThe Becca Schmill Foundation of Needham, Massachusetts was formed in memory of Rebecca (Becca) Mann Schmill by her loving family. Becca Schmill passed away on September 16, 2020, from fentanyl poisoning. She purchased the drugs with the assistance of a social media platform.\n\nSummaries of the bill can be found below.\n\nThe Joint Task Force to Counter Illicit Synthetic Narcotics Act of 2024\n\nThe Joint Task Force to Counter Illicit Synthetic Narcotics Act of 2024 would establish a coordinated task force to combat the trafficking of synthetic narcotics like fentanyl. The task force will bring together representatives from relevant federal agencies to conduct joint operations, disrupt trafficking networks, and enforce sanctions. It will focus on international and domestic coordination, including addressing the role of the People\u2019s Republic of China in the opioid crisis.\n\nThe task force aims to streamline interagency collaboration, enhance legal enforcement, and report regularly to Congress.\n\nThe CCP Fentanyl Sanctions Act\n\nThe CCP Fentanyl Sanctions Act targets what the Select Committee\u2019s bipartisan fentanyl report described as the \u201cAchilles\u2019 heel\u201d of fentanyl and related synthetic narcotics producers\u2014their exposure to the U.S. banking system courtesy of their licit activity. This legislation would codify important new authorities to address this threat while working to target those responsible for the epidemic.\n\nIt codifies and builds on Executive Order 14059, which established critical new sanctions authorities against actors involved in fentanyl trafficking. It also expands existing sanctions authorities to target PRC vessels or ports that knowingly or recklessly facilitate shipment/transportation of illicit synthetic narcotics, as well as PRC online marketplaces and other entities that knowingly or recklessly facilitate sale of illicit synthetic narcotics.\n\nThe legislation also provides authority to restrict foreign financial institution correspondent accounts and payable-through accounts if the President determines the account has knowingly facilitated transactions on behalf of individuals engaging in synthetic narcotics trafficking.\n\nInternational Protection from PRC Fentanyl and Other Synthetic Opioids Act", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://auchincloss.house.gov/media/press-releases/auchincloss-targets-chinas-role-in-us-fentanyl-crisis-with-new-bipartisan-legislation"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.1639399453997612, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}