Senator Rick Scott’s Eradicating Narcotic Drugs and Formulating Effective New Tools to Address National Yearly Losses of Life (END FENTANYL) Act has been signed by President Joe Biden (D).
Sen. Scott's bill calls for the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to improve and reform its approach every three years to “ensure drug interdiction guidance is up to date.” According to a 2019 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, the last time the interdiction guidance was updated was two decades ago.
In addition to the updated policies every three years, the bill requires a report from the Commissioner of CBP to be sent to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Homeland Security Committee in the House of Representatives.
The END FENTANYL Act was sparked from the 2019 GAO report, “Land Ports of Entry: CBP Should Update Policies and Enhance Analysis of Inspections,” which found that drug interdiction guidance has not been updated in 20 years.
“For nearly two years, I have been fighting to make my bipartisan END FENTANYL Act law. I am proud that Congress finally passed, and the president signed into law, this important legislation to better combat America’s lethal opioid epidemic,” said Sen. Scott. “President Biden must do more to secure the border and stop the deadly fentanyl that continues to flow illegally into the U.S. over the southern border and kills tens of thousands of our citizens.”
The Florida Senator added, “I look forward to seeing the Biden administration immediately implement this law and give America’s brave CBP agents the tools needed to keep these dangerous drugs out of our communities. While nothing can heal the crushing heartbreak felt by the hundreds of thousands of families torn apart by fentanyl and who have lost loved ones, the END FENTANYL Act will make a difference in our fight to end the suffering.”
Co-sponsors of the Senate version of the bill include Senators Mike Braun (R-IN), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), and Mark Kelly (D-AR).
Representatives Michael Guest (R-MS) and David Trone (D-MD) introduced the companion bill in the House of Representatives.
