Fentanyl Sanctions Passes Senate as Amendment to Defense Authorization Bill

A bipartisan effort to reduce fentanyl trafficking passed the Senate June 27 on the must-pass defense authorization bill. The amendment would dedicate some money for investigations into which Chinese companies are supplying fentanyl to the U.S. black market. It also requires sanctions on drug manufacturers in China that knowingly provide synthetic opioids to dealers, and would sanction financial institutions that assist those manufacturers or international drug cartels. However, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's staff could not say by press time how much money would be appropriated.

Three Republicans and four Democrats introduced the Fentanyl Sanctions Act in April, and that formed the basis of the amendment (see 1904040028). The original bill was also co-sponsored by Sens. Tom Cotton, R-Ark.; Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio; Marco Rubio, R-Fla.; Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H.; Bob Menendez, D-N.J.; and Pat Toomey, R-Pa.