Bipartisan Rose-Backed Effort to Prevent Fentanyl Trafficking Passes House

Press Release

The House of Representatives today passed bipartisan legislation sponsored by Congressman Max Rose to establish a Joint Task Force at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to stop the inflow of foreign fentanyl and other opioids into the United States.

"Nothing will distract from my continued efforts to stop the flow of illicit fentanyl into our communities," said Rose, a member of the Freshmen Working Group on Addiction. "This commonsense, bipartisan effort will ensure that all levels of the federal government are taking a comprehensive and coordinated approach. I see no reason why the Senate wouldn't quickly act to pass this critical piece of legislation."

The Joint Task Force to Combat Opioid Trafficking Act expands Joint Task Force authority at DHS to allow for the creation of a new task force for the purpose of interdicting and preventing narcotics, such as fentanyl and other synthetic opioids, from crossing the border into the United States. The bill encourages DHS to utilize private partnerships when carrying out this mission.

Rose has made combating the opioid epidemic and raising awareness around the disease of addiction a top priority. As part of the National Defense Authorization Act, both the House and Senate passed Rose's bipartisan Fentanyl Sanctions Act, which will apply sanctions on drug manufacturers in China who knowingly provide fentanyl to traffickers, transnational criminal organizations like those in Mexico who mix fentanyl with other drugs and traffic them into the U.S. and financial institutions that assist them. Following a bipartisan push by Rose to increase funding for opioid prevention and treatment efforts, the House of Representatives passed legislation that increases funding to the agency responsible for supporting these efforts by $129 million.

Additionally, Rose has urged the Department of Justice to formally bring criminal charges against Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family that owns it. Rose was joined by New Yorkers who have been impacted by the opioid epidemic in slamming the proposed settlement deals and Purdue Pharma's bankruptcy filing as an attempt to evade an admission of guilt and deny justice to the victims.

Source