{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://dustyjohnson.house.gov/media/press-releases/johnson-introduces-legislation-crack-down-chinese-made-fentanyl", "Johnson Introduces Legislation to Crack Down on Chinese-Made Fentanyl", "2025-03-11", "2025", "2025-03", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Dusty Johnson", "J000301", "dustyjohnson.house.gov", "dustyjohnson", "https://dustyjohnson.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) and the Select Committee on China\u2019s Fentanyl Policy Working Group introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation to combat the deadly fentanyl crisis and hold China accountable for its role in fueling the epidemic.\n\n\u201cChina has been flooding our nation with fentanyl for years, profiting on the destruction and poisoning of American lives,\u201d said Johnson. \u201cGetting tough on China includes cracking down on their money-making fentanyl scheme, which is devastating American families. I\u2019m proud to support this legislation to help make America safe and healthy again.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Chinese Communist Party has deliberately funded the production of fentanyl chemicals, which are sold to cartels and trafficked into the U.S., killing Americans,\u201d said Select Committee on China Chairman John Moolenaar. \u201cThis legislation builds on the bipartisan Select Committee\u2019s report from last year and will unite government agencies to disrupt trafficking networks and impose sanctions on those poisoning our country. This is a critical step to hold China accountable and protect American lives from this deadly crisis.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe CCP is the leading force behind the fentanyl crisis, and the United States is failing to respond while they profit from the loss of American lives,\u201d said Newhouse. \u201cThis Joint Task Force will pool resources across the federal government and respond to this crisis with everything from sanctions to joint drug raids to keep this deadly substance out of our communities. This task force will help President Trump and his administration accomplish his goal of stopping the flow of fentanyl from China across our northern and southern borders.\u201d\n\n\u201cFentanyl killed nearly 4,000 Pennsylvanians last year and over 200 Americans each day,\u201d Senator McCormick said. \u201cThis legislation would empower our federal government to coordinate all the tools at its disposal to combat the trafficking of lethal fentanyl that is ruining American families. I\u2019ve heard from too many families who have lost their loved ones to fentanyl overdoses, I refuse to allow it to continue.\u201d\n\nIn 2023, fentanyl was responsible for nearly 70% of drug overdose deaths in America \u2013 a staggering and preventable loss of life.\n\nJohnson was appointed to the Fentanyl Policy Working Group in June 2024.\n\nLegislation:\n\nJoint Task Force to Counter Illicit Synthetic Narcotics Act of 2025\n\nThis bill establishes a Joint Task Force to counter synthetic narcotics, primarily focusing on opioids 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 (PRC) in the opioid crisis. The task force aims to streamline interagency collaboration, enhance legal enforcement, and report regularly to Congress.\n\nIn the Senate, the legislation is cosponsored by Senators Dave McCormick (R-PA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Katie Britt (R-AL), and John Fetterman (D-PA). In the House, the legislation is cosponsored by Representatives Dan Newhouse (R-WA), Jake Auchincloss (D-MA), John Moolenaar (R-MI), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Neal Dunn (R-FL), Ro Khanna (D-CA), Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.), and Ritchie Torres (D-NY).", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T00:15:27Z"]], "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://dustyjohnson.house.gov/media/press-releases/johnson-introduces-legislation-crack-down-chinese-made-fentanyl"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.9064609184861183, "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"}