Rep. Bishop, Sen. Portman Applaud Senate Passage of STOP Act

Press Release

Today, Congressman Mike Bishop (R-MI) and Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) applauded the Senate passage of a package of bills aimed at tackling the opioid epidemic, H.R. 6, which includes the bipartisan Synthetics Trafficking and Overdose Prevention (STOP) Act of 2018 to stop the flow of synthetic opioids, like fentanyl and carfentanyl, in the international mail system. Currently, there is no requirement for the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to provide the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) with advance electronic data (AED), as is required for shipments by private carriers -- allowing criminals to ship synthetic opioids into the United States with ease. The STOP Act requires the USPS to obtain AED on international mail shipments, allowing CBP to target for opioid shipments.

"Today's Senate passage of the STOP Act brings us one step closer to preventing synthetic opioids from crossing our borders and entering our communities. I'm grateful for the leadership of Senator Portman -- he's been a dedicated advocate in the fight to end this crisis. This is not just an issue that affects our home states of Michigan and Ohio -- families across the nation are being devastated by this epidemic," said Rep. Bishop "Families are losing loved ones, and in large part due to the availability of these cheap, powerful synthetic opioids -- which can be 5,000 more potent than a street dose of heroin. Just 2 milligrams of carfentanyl can be lethal. This legislation is urgent, and I'm proud of the bipartisan, bicameral support for the STOP Act. I look forward to it becoming the law of the land."

"Passing the STOP Act is a victory in our efforts to combat the newest and deadliest aspect of this opioid crisis: the overwhelming supply of cheap, deadly synthetic drugs like fentanyl," said Senator Portman. "By closing the loophole in our international mail system that drug traffickers have exploited to ship fentanyl into the U.S., we can help law enforcement keep this poison out of our communities. This legislation will give more Americans who are gripped by addiction the chance to live up to their God-given potential. I appreciate Rep. Mike Bishop's leadership in moving this legislation through the House and I look forward to this legislation being signed into law soon."

BACKGROUND

Bishop Introduces Bill to Stop the Flow of Synthetic Opioids in the International Mail System -- May 15, 2018
Bishop Applauds Unanimous Committee Passage of Bill to Address Opioid Flow in the Mail System -- May 16, 2018
House, Senate Release Agreement on Bishop Bill to Combat Opioid Epidemic -- June 8, 2018
House Passes Bishop Legislation to Stop the Flow of Synthetic Opioids Through the International Mail System -- June 14, 2018

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