Testing, Rapid Analysis, and Narcotic Quality Research Act of 2023
Floor Speech
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Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur in the Senate amendment to the bill (H.R. 1734) to require coordinated National Institute of Standards and Technology science and research activities regarding illicit drugs containing xylazine, novel synthetic opioids, and other substances of concern, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the Senate amendment is as follows:
Senate amendment:
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the following: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Testing, Rapid Analysis, and Narcotic Quality Research Act of 2023'' or the ``TRANQ Research Act of 2023''. SEC. 2. XYLAZINE DETECTION AND ANALYSIS.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
(2) Federal laboratory.--The term ``Federal laboratory'' has the meaning given such term in section 4 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3703).
(3) Institute.--The term ``Institute'' means the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
(4) Institution of higher education.--The term ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given such term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (19 U.S.C. 1001).
(5) Nonprofit organization.--The term ``nonprofit organization'' means an organization described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from tax under section 501(a) of such code.
(6) Xylazine.--The term ``xylazine'' means the nonopioid tranquilizer methyl benzene compound frequently used in veterinary medicine as an emetic and sedative with analgesic and muscle relaxant properties.
(b) In General.--The Director shall--
(1) support intramural basic measurement science and research of the Institute to advance--
(A) analytical methods to identify, understand, differentiate, and categorize substances containing xylazine, novel synthetic opioids, or other new psychoactive substances;
(B) measurement technologies to shorten analysis timelines and enhance narcotic and opioid detection and analysis capabilities;
(C) new data tools, techniques, and processes to identify and publicly disclose relevant information concerning substances containing xylazine, novel synthetic opioids, or other new psychoactive substances; and
(D) such other areas as the Director determines to be critical to the development and deployment of technologies to measure and analyze the presence of xylazine, novel synthetic opioids, and other new psychoactive substances;
(2) support activities to inform and expand the development of near-real time spectrometry capabilities regarding xylazine, novel synthetic opioids, and other new psychoactive substances;
(3) convene and consult with organizations engaged in the analysis of new psychoactive substances to develop coordinated strategies and voluntary best practices for the safe handling, transport, data-sharing, and analysis of substances containing xylazine, novel synthetic opioids, or other new psychoactive substances, including--
(A) the Drug Enforcement Administration;
(B) the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention;
(C) the National Institute on Drug Abuse;
(D) Federal laboratories;
(E) States and territories;
(F) State fusion centers;
(G) the private sector;
(H) intergovernmental organizations;
(I) institutions of higher education, and
(J) nonprofit organizations;
(4) establish or expand collaborative partnerships or consortia with other government agencies and persons engaged in related research and development, such as institutions of higher education, Federal laboratories, public health agencies, intergovernmental organizations, and the private sector, to enhance narcotic and opioid detection and analysis capabilities regarding xylazine, novel synthetic opioids, and other new psychoactive substances; and
(5) encourage graduate and post-graduate research to include detection and identification of xylazine and other new psychoactive substances in relevant course studies when practicable.
(c) Controls.--In carrying out activities under this section, the Director shall ensure proper security controls are implemented to protect sensitive information, as the Director considers appropriate and consistent with applicable provisions of law.
(d) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives a report on the implementation of this section. Such report may include recommendations for legislative action to improve the ability of the Director to carry out this section. SEC. 3. STUDY ON UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT TECHNOLOGIES AND ANALYTICAL METHODS TO DETECT AND IDENTIFY NEW PSYCHOACTIVE SUBSTANCES.
(a) Study.--
(1) In general.--The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study of the capabilities of the Federal Government to respond to the threats of new psychoactive substances such as xylazine.
(2) Matters evaluated.--The study conducted pursuant to paragraph (1) shall include an evaluation of the following:
(A) The capabilities, including technologies and analytical methods, of Federal, State, and local agencies to detect and identify new psychoactive substances such as xylazine.
(B) An analysis of timeframes for identification and development of technologies and methods to identify new psychoactive substances by Federal, State, and local agencies.
(C) Facilities, including laboratories, used by Federal, State, and local agencies for the identification of new psychoactive substances such as xylazine.
(D) Federal grant programs to fund new technology development to detect and identify new psychoactive substances.
(b) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives a report containing the findings of the Comptroller General with respect to the study conducted pursuant to subsection (a).
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Mr. LUCAS. 1734, the bill now under consideration.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1734, the TRANQ Research Act sponsored by the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Collins).
This is an important bill that will help us combat the dangers of novel synthetic opioids. Unfortunately, there is no area of our country that hasn't been touched by the deadly fentanyl epidemic. Now these drugs are being mixed with animal tranquilizers to create deadly new combinations.
Drugs like tranq are presenting new challenges to law enforcement, healthcare professionals, and first responders. H.R. 1734 authorizes critical research and development to help us better understand, detect, and handle these drugs. With that knowledge, we can help to slow their spread and reduce lives lost to these deadly drugs.
This bill takes advantage of the tremendous expertise of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, which is already doing cutting- edge work on detecting and analyzing fentanyl. With the passage of the TRANQ Research Act, NIST will be able to apply their expertise to these dangerous new variants.
This bill authorizes NIST's work to quickly identify illicit drugs, analyze them, and establish best practices for first responders to handle these dangerous substances. By doing that, it provides critical protections for the police officers and EMTs that encounter these drugs, helping them to stay safe and protected as they do their work. It will also give us the knowledge we need to stop the spread of tranq and other novel synthetic opioids.
This bill has already passed the House with a unanimous bipartisan vote of 425-0. I would like to see that same level of backing today.
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Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I note that when this bill is signed by the President, it will be the first bill introduced by a freshman in the 118th Congress to become law. I congratulate the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Collins) for this achievement. I think it is a reflection of just how important this topic is, and I am so glad our colleagues have all recognized the growing dangers of novel synthetic opioids and have given this bill such strong support.
Again, I thank Representative Collins and my colleagues for everything they have done to help support this. I urge all of my colleagues to support it.
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