S.Amdt. 2681

SA 2681. Mr. MENENDEZ submitted an amendment intended to be proposed
to amendment SA 2282 submitted by Mr. Inhofe (for himself and Mr.
McCain) and intended to be proposed to the bill H.R. 5515, to authorize
appropriations for fiscal year 2019 for military activities of the
Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense
activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel
strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was
ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

At the end of subtitle G of title XII, add the following:

SEC. __. COMPREHENSIVE INTERNATIONAL STRATEGY FOR COMBATTING
TRAFFICKING OF HEROIN AND FENTANYL.

(a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) there is an opioid epidemic in the United States with
more than 42,000 deaths in 2016 from opioid overdose, more
than any previous year in history, according to the Center
for Disease Control and Prevention;
(2) more than 20,000 of the 42,000 opioid-related deaths in
2016 were caused by fentanyl and fentanyl-like synthetic
opioids, and nearly 15,500 were caused by heroin;
(3) the majority of illicit heroin and fentanyl in the
United States enters through the 7,500 miles of shared border
with Canada and Mexico, and 93 percent of the illicit heroin
in the United States originates in Mexico;
(4) China produces 90 percent of the world's supply of the
extremely dangerous and addictive synthetic opioid fentanyl
and illegal shipments of fentanyl are increasingly entering
the United States by mail from China;
(5) the strategic partnership between the United States
Government, the Government of Mexico, and the Government of
Canada, which must be based on mutual respect and the
promotion of shared democratic values and principles, is
essential to upholding national security and economic well-
being of the United States;
(6) robust cooperation between the United States
Government, the Government of Mexico, the Government of
Canada, and the Government of China is indispensable to
addressing the trafficking of illicit heroin and fentanyl
into the United States; and
(7) the activities described in this section are intended
to complement the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of
2016 (Public Law 114-198), which--
(A) was signed into law on July 22, 2016;
(B) authorized over $181,000,000 to respond to the United
States epidemic of opioid abuse; and
(C) increases prevention programs and the availability of
treatment programs.
(b) Strategy.--The Secretary of State, in consultation with
appropriate Federal agencies, shall develop a multiyear
international strategy--
(1) to address the illicit cultivation of poppy flowers,
including through eradication;
(2) to promote alternative economic opportunities for
individuals and communities involved in the illicit
cultivation of poppy flowers;

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(3) to increase controls for precursor chemicals utilized
for the production of illicit heroin and fentanyl;
(4) to decommission laboratories utilized for the
production of illicit heroin and fentanyl;
(5) to combat the activities transnational criminal
organizations involved in the production and trafficking of
illicit heroin and fentanyl;
(6) to interdict the trafficking of illicit heroin and
fentanyl;
(7) to advance the investigation, detention, and
prosecution of the senior members of transnational criminal
organizations involved in the production and trafficking of
illicit heroin and fentanyl;
(8) to strengthen the capacity of judicial and law
enforcement institutions in order to advance the activities
described in paragraph (7);
(9) to carry out the judicial and internal oversight
reforms necessary to reduce corruption in foreign agencies
and security forces charged with combating heroin and
fentanyl trafficking;
(10) to pursue the extradition of the senior members of
transnational criminal organizations involved in the
production and trafficking of illicit heroin and fentanyl;
(11) to carry out special financial investigations to
identify and track the illicit financial proceeds from and
money laundering related to heroin and fentanyl trafficking;
and
(12) to combat the illegal smuggling of arms and bulk cash
that fuel the illicit narcotics trade and the activities of
transnational criminal organizations.
(c) Submittal.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall
submit the strategy required by subsection (b) to--
(1) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate;
(2) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;
(3) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of
Representatives; and
(4) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of
Representatives.
(d) Elements.--The strategy required by subsection (b)
shall include a description of efforts to address the
international trafficking of illicit heroin and fentanyl and
related precursor chemicals--
(1) at seaports, airports, and ports of entry;
(2) in maritime and land-based trafficking routes; and
(3) through international and United States postal
services.
(e) Agencies Involved.--The strategy required by subsection
(b) shall include input from--
(1) the United States Agency for International Development;
(2) the Department of Treasury;
(3) the Department of Justice;
(4) the Department of Homeland Security;
(5) the Department of Defense;
(6) the Drug Enforcement Administration;
(7) the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and
Explosives;
(8) the Federal Bureau of Investigations; and
(9) the United States Postal Service.
(f) Geographic Scope.--The strategy required by subsection
(b) shall--
(1) describe necessary cooperation with the Government of
Mexico and the Government of Canada;
(2) describe necessary coordination with the Government
China; and
(3) include information from consultations with the
Government of Mexico, the Government of Canada, and the
Government of China.
(g) Additional Prioritization.--While maintaining the
principal focus on heroin and fentanyl, the strategy required
by subsection (b) shall also prioritize programs and
initiatives that address challenges posed by use of other
illicit narcotics, including cocaine and methamphetamine.
(h) Coordination.--The Assistant Secretary of State for
International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs shall--
(1) lead the interagency process to coordinate
implementation of the strategy required by subsection (b);
(2) routinely consult with Congress and provide timely
information about the activities of all participating
agencies of the Government to carry out such strategy; and
(3) lead engagement with multilateral organizations and
institutions, foreign governments, and domestic and
international civil society organizations.
(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--
(1) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated to
the Secretary of State $150,000,000 for fiscal year 2019 to
carry out the activities set forth in the strategy required
by subsection(b) in accordance with this section.
(2) Notification requirement.--
(A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph (B),
amounts appropriated or otherwise made available pursuant to
paragraph (1) may not be obligated until 15 days after the
date on which the President provides notice to the committees
described in subsection (c) of intent to obligate such funds.
(B) Waiver.--
(i) In general.--The Secretary of State may waive
subparagraph (A) if the Secretary of State determines that
such requirement would pose a substantial risk to human
health or welfare.
(ii) Notification requirement.--If a waiver is invoked
under clause (i), the President shall notify the committees
described in subsection (c) of the intent to obligate funds
under this section as early as practicable, but not later
than three days after taking the action to which such
notification requirement was applicable in the context of the
circumstances necessitating such waiver.
______