DETECT Fentanyl and Xylazine Act of 2024

Kevin F. McCumber, Clerk of the House, reported and found truly enrolled bills of the House of the following titles, which were thereupon signed by the Speaker pro tempore, Mr. McHenry, on Friday, December 20, 2024:

H.R. 663. An act to amend the Indian Child Protection and

Family Violence Prevention Act.

H.R. 1607. An act to clarify jurisdiction with respect to

certain Bureau of Reclamation pumped storage development, and

for other purposes.

H.R. 1727. An act to amend the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal

Development Act to extend the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal

National Historical Park Commission.

H.R. 2468. An act to require the Secretary of the Interior

to convey to the State of Utah certain Federal land under the

administrative jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management

within the boundaries of Camp Williams, Utah, and for other

purposes.

H.R. 3324. An act to extend the authority to collect

Shasta-Trinity Marina fees through fiscal year 2029.

H.R. 4094. An act to amend the Central Utah Project

Completion Act to authorize expenditures for the conduct of

certain water conservation measures in the Great Salt Lake

basin, and for other purposes.

H.R. 4385. An act to extend authorization of the

Reclamation States Emergency Drought Relief Act of 1991.

H.R. 4467. An act to direct the Under Secretary for

Management of the Department of Homeland Security to assess

contracts for covered services performed by contractor

personnel along the United States land border with Mexico,

and for other purposes.

H.R. 5646. An act to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965

to require institutions of higher education to disclose

hazing incidents, and for other purposes.

H.R. 5770. An act to reauthorize certain United States

Geological Survey water data enhancement programs.

H.R. 6826. An act to designate the visitor and education

center at Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine

as the Paul S. Sarbanes Visitor and Education Center.

H.R. 6843. An act to expand the boundaries of the

Atchafalaya National Heritage Area to include Lafourche

Parish, Louisiana.

H.R. 7177. An act to amend title 28, United States Code, to

consolidate certain divisions in the Northern District of

Alabama.

H.R. 7213. An act to amend the Public Health Service Act to

enhance and reauthorize activities and programs relating to

autism spectrum disorder, and for other purposes.

H.R. 7332. An Act to require the Secretary of the Interior

and the Secretary of Agriculture to convey certain Federal

land to the State of Utah for inclusion in certain State

parks, and for other purposes.

H.R. 7524. An act to amend title 40, United States Code, to

require the submission of reports on certain information

technology services funds to Congress before expenditures may

be made, and for other purposes.

H.R. 8219. An act to require the Secretary of the Interior

to conduct a study to assess the suitability and feasibility

of designating certain land as the Lahaina National Heritage

Area, and for other purposes.

H.R. 8413. An act to provide for the conveyance of certain

Federal land at Swanson Reservoir and Hugh Butler Reservoir

in the State of Nebraska, and for other purposes.

H.R. 8663. An act to require the Science and Technology

Directorate in the Department of Homeland Security to develop

greater capacity to detect and identify illicit substances in

very low concentrations.

H.R. 9566. An act to require governmentwide source code

sharing, and for other purposes.

Kevin F. McCumber, Clerk of the House, further reported and found truly an enrolled bill of the House of the following title, which was thereupon signed by the Speaker on Saturday, December 21, 2024:

H.R. 10545. An act making further continuing appropriations

for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, and for other

purposes.

Kevin F. McCumber, Clerk of the House, further reported and found truly enrolled bills of the House of the following titles, which were thereupon signed by the Speaker pro tempore, Mr. McHENRY:

H.R. 82. An act to amend title II of the Social Security

Act to repeal the Government pension offset and windfall

elimination provisions.

H.R. 670. An act to direct the Secretary of Health and

Human Services to establish a website to promote awareness of

available resources for individuals with disabilities, and

for other purposes.

H.R. 1318. An act to authorize the location of a monument

on the National Mall to commemorate and honor the women's

suffrage movement and the passage of the 19th Amendment to

the Constitution, and for other purposes.

H.R. 1555. An act to designate the facility of the United

States Postal Service located at 2300 Sylvan Avenue in

Modesto, California, as the ``Corporal Michael D. Anderson

Jr. Post Office Building''.

H.R. 1823. An act to designate the facility of the United

States Postal Service located at 207 East Fort Dade Avenue in

Brooksville, Florida, as the ``Specialist Justin Dean Coleman

Memorial Post Office Building''.

H.R. 2997. An act to direct the Secretary of the Interior

to convey to Mesa County, Colorado, certain Federal land in

Colorado, and for other purposes.

H.R. 3354. An act to designate the facility of the United

States Postal Service located at 220 North Hatcher Avenue in

Purcellville, Virginia, as the ``Secretary of State Madeleine

Albright Post Office Building''.

H.R. 3391. An act to extend the Gabriella Miller Kids First

Pediatric Research Program at the National Institutes of

Health, and for other purposes.

H.R. 4136. An act to name the Department of Veterans

Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Plano, Texas, as

the ``U.S. Congressman Sam Johnson Memorial VA Clinic''.

H.R. 4955. An act to name the community-based outpatient

clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Monroeville,

Pennsylvania, as the ``Henry Parham VA Clinic''.

H.R. 4984. An act to direct the Secretary of the Interior

to transfer administrative jurisdiction over the Robert F.

Kennedy Memorial Stadium Campus to the District of Columbia

so that the District may use the Campus for purposes

including residential and commercial development, and for

other purposes.

H.R. 5103. An act to require the Director of the Office of

Management and Budget to approve or deny spend plans within a

certain amount of time, and for other purposes.

H.R. 5443. An act to establish a policy regarding appraisal

and valuation services for real property for a transaction

over which the Secretary of the Interior has jurisdiction,

and for other purposes.

H.R. 5867. An act to designate the facility of the United

States Postal Service located at 109 Live Oaks Boulevard in

Casselberry, Florida, as the ``Colonel Joseph William

Kittinger II Post Office Building''.

H.R. 5887. An act to amend chapter 3 of title 5, United

States Code, to improve Government service delivery, and

build related capacity for the Federal Government, and for

other purposes.

H.R. 6062. An act to restore the ability of the people of

American Samoa to approve amendments to the territorial

constitution based on majority rule in a democratic act of

self-determination, as authorized pursuant to an Act of

Congress delegating administration of Federal territorial law

in the territory to the President, and to the Secretary of

the Interior under Executive Order 10264, dated June 29,

1951, under which the Constitution of American Samoa was

approved and may be amended without requirement for further

congressional action, subject to the authority of Congress

under the Territorial Clause in article IV, section 3, clause

2 of the United States Constitution.

H.R. 6116. An act to designate the facility of the United

States Postal Service located at 14280 South Military Trail

in Delray Beach, Florida, as the ``Benjamin Berell Ferencz

Post Office Building''.

H.R. 6162. An act to designate the facility of the United

States Postal Service located at 379 North Oates Street in

Dothan, Alabama, as the ``LaBruce `Bruce' Tidwell Post Office

Building''.

H.R. 6188. An act to designate the facility of the United

States Postal Service located at 420 Highway 17 North in

Surfside Beach, South Carolina, as the ``Nancy Yount Childs

Post Office Building''.

H.R. 6244. An act to designate the facility of the United

States Postal Service located at 1535 East Los Ebanos

Boulevard in Brownsville, Texas, as the ``1st Lieutenant

Andres Zermeno Post Office Building''.

H.R. 6395. An act to amend the Energy Act of 2020 to

require the Secretary of the Interior to include the

Secretary of Health and Human Services in consultations

regarding designations of critical minerals, elements,

substances, and materials.

H.R. 6492. An act to improve recreation opportunities on,

and facilitate greater access to, Federal public land, and

for other purposes.

H.R. 6633. An act to designate the facility of the United

States Postal Service located at 9355 113th Street in

Seminole, Florida, as the ``Army SSG Ryan Christian Knauss

Memorial Post Office Building''.

H.R. 6750. An act to designate the facility of the United

States Postal Service located at 501 Mercer Street Southwest

in Wilson, North Carolina, as the ``Milton F. Fitch, Sr. Post

Office Building''.

H.R. 6810. An act to designate the facility of the United

States Postal Service located at 518 North Ridgewood Drive in

Sebring, Florida, as the ``U.S. Army Air Corps Major Thomas

B. McGuire Post Office Building''.

H.R. 6852. An act to designate Holcombe Rucker Park, in

Harlem, New York, as a National Commemorative Site, and for

other purposes.

H.R. 6983. An act to designate the facility of the United

States Postal Service located at 15 South Valdosta Road in

Lakeland, Georgia, as the ``Nell Patten Roquemore Post

Office''.

H.R. 7158. An act to designate the facility of the United

States Postal Service located at 201 East Battles Road in

Santa Maria, California, as the ``Larry Lavagnino Post Office

Building''.

H.R. 7180. An act to designate the facility of the United

States Postal Service located at 80 1st Street in Kingsland,

Arkansas, as the Kingsland `Johnny Cash' Post Office''.

H.R. 7365. To provide PreCheck to certain severely injured

or disabled veterans, and for other purposes.

H.R. 7385. An act to designate the facility of the United

States Postal Service located at 29 Franklin Street in

Petersburg, Virginia, as the ``John Mercer Langston Post

Office Building''.

H.R. 74l7. An act to designate the facility of the United

States Postal Service located at 135 West Spring Street in

Titusville, Pennsylvania, as the ``Edwin L. Drake Post Office

Building''.

H.R. 7507. An act to designate the facility of the United

States Postal Service located at 203 East 6th Street in

Lexington, Nebraska, as the ``William E. and Elsie L. Barrett

Post Office Building''.

H.R. 7508. An act to designate the facility of the United

States Postal Service located at 1285 Emancipation Highway in

Fredericksburg, Virginia, as the ``Gladys P. Todd Post

Office''.

H.R. 7606. An act to designate the facility of the United

States Postal Service located at 1087 Route 47 South in Rio

Grande, New Jersey, as the ``Carlton H. Hand Post Office

Building''.

H.R. 7607. An act to designate the facility of the United

States Postal Service located at Block 1025, Lots 18 & 19,

Northeast Corner of US Route 9 South and Main Street in the

Township of Middle County of Cape May, New Jersey, as the

``George Henry White Post Office Building''.

H.R. 7893. An act to designate the facility of the United

States Postal Service located at 306 Pickens Street in

Marion, Alabama, as the ``Albert Turner, Sr. Post Office

Building''.

H.R. 7938. An act to amend the Klamath Basin Water Supply

Enhancement Act of 2000 to provide the Secretary of the

Interior with certain authorities with respect to projects

affecting the Klamath Basin watershed, and for other

purposes.

H.R. 8012. An act to establish the Jackie Robinson Ballpark

National Commemorative Site in the State of Florida, and for

other purposes.

H.R. 8057. An act to designate the facility of the United

States Postal Service located at 9317 Bolsa Avenue in

Westminster, California, as the ``Little Saigon Vietnam War

Veterans Memorial Post Office''.

H.R. 8641. An act to designate the facility of the United

States Postal Service located at 401 Main Street in Brawley,

California, as the ``Walter Francis Ulloa Memorial Post

Office Building''.

H.R. 8666. An act to amend title 28, United States Code, to

authorize holding court for the Central Division of Utah in

Moab and Monticello.

H.R. 8667. An act to rename the community-based outpatient

clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Cadillac,

Michigan, as the ``Duane E. Dewey VA Clinic''.

H.R. 8717. An act to designate the facility of the United

States Postal Service located at 20 West Main Street in

SantaQuin, Utah, as the ``SGT Bill Hooser Post Office

Building''.

H.R. 8841. An act to designate the facility of the United

States Postal Service located at 114 Center Street East in

Roseau, Minnesota, as the ``Floyd B. Olson Post Office''.

H.R. 8868. An act to designate the facility of the United

States Postal Service located 609 Portsmouth Avenue in

Greenland, New Hampshire, as the ``Chief Michael Maloney Post

Office Building''.

H.R. 8909. An act to designate the facility of the United

States Postal Service located at 82-6110 Mamalahoa Highway in

Captain Cook, Hawaii, as the ``Army 1st Lt. John Kuulei

Kauhaihao Post Office Building''.

H.R. 8919. An act to designate the facility of the United

States Postal Service located at 151 Highway 74 South in

Peachtree City, Georgia, as the ``SFC Shawn McCloskey Post

Office''.

H.R. 8976. An act to designate the facility of the United

States Postal Service located at 20 West White Street in

Millstadt, Illinois, as the ``Corporal Matthew A. Wyatt Post

Office''.

H.R. 9076. An act to reauthorize child welfare programs

under part B of title IV of the Social Security Act and

strengthen the State and tribal child support enforcement

program under part D of such title, and for other purposes.

H.R. 9124. An act to name the Department of Veterans

Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Auburn,

California, as the ``Louis A. Conter VA Clinic''.

H.R. 9285. An act to designate the facility of the United

States Postal Service located at 39l3 Leland Avenue Northwest

in Comstock Park, Michigan, as the ``Captain Miguel Justin

Nava Post Office''.

H.R. 9322. An act to designate the facility of the United

States Postal Service located at 675 Wolf Ledges Parkway in

Akron, Ohio, as the ``Judge James R. Williams Post Office

Building''.

H.R. 9421. An act to designate the facility of the United

States Postal Service located at 108 North Main Street in

Bucoda, Washington, as the ``Mayor Rob Gordon Post Office''.

H.R. 9487. An act to amend the Legislative Reorganization

Act of 1970 to authorize the Legislative Counsel of the House

of Representatives to designate more than one of the

attorneys of the Office of the Legislative Counsel as a

Deputy Legislative Counsel, and for other purposes.

H.R. 9544. An act to designate the facility of the United

States Postal Service located at 340 South Loudon Avenue in

Baltimore, Maryland, as the ``United States Representative

Elijah E. Cummings Post Office Building''.

H.R. 9549. An act to designate the facility of the United

States Postal Service located at 125 South 1st Avenue in

Hillsboro, Oregon, as the ``Elizabeth Furse Post Office

Building''.

H.R. 9580. An act to designate the facility of the United

States Postal Service located at 2777 Brentwood Road in

Raleigh, North Carolina, as the ``Millie Dunn Veasey Post

Office''.

H.R. 9592. An act to amend title 44, United States Code, to

modernize the Federal Register, and for other purposes.

H.R. 9600. An act to designate the facility of the United

States Postal Service located at 119 Main Street in Plains,

Georgia, as the ``Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Post Office''.

H.R. 9775. An act to designate the facility of the United

States Postal Service located at 119 North Anderson Street in

Elwood, Indiana, as the ``Officer Noah Jacob Shahnavaz Post

Office Building''.

H.R. 10065. An act to designate the facility of the United

States Postal Service located at 802 North Tancahua Street in

Corpus Christi, Texas, as the ``Captain Robert E. `Bob'

Batterson Post Office''.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Tennessee for yielding. I was anxious about the chairman of the Homeland Security Committee yielding because his alma mater team, West Point, lost to my alma mater Annapolis this weekend 31-13 at the premier football game, so I appreciate the chairman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, the fight against fentanyl and xylazine is a battle that we cannot afford to lose, and right now the United States is at a crossroads.

Our communities are grappling with a devastating crisis as lethal drugs like fentanyl and xylazine continue to wreak havoc across our country.

Today, we have a chance to deliver solutions. The amended version of my DETECT Fentanyl and Xylazine Act is back before us and it is a stronger, more comprehensive tool to tackle this epidemic.

Every year, over 100,000 precious American lives are lost to drug overdoses.

In 2023 alone, opioids were responsible for more than 81,000 deaths. Fentanyl, accounting for nearly 90 percent of synthetic opioid fatalities, claimed tens of thousands of lives, shattering families and leaving communities in mourning.

These numbers are tragic reminders of the lives we are losing every day.

Now, xylazine, a tranquilizer known on the streets as tranq, is being mixed with fentanyl, creating an even deadlier and harder to detect combination.

This toxic mix does not spare anyone. It claims lives regardless of age, race, or socioeconomic status. From suburban Long Island to urban centers and rural America, this crisis is everywhere, Mr. Speaker.

Earlier this year, the House passed the DETECT Fentanyl and Xylazine Act with overwhelming bipartisan support. Since then, our Senate colleagues have worked to refine and enhance the legislation to better address the growing threat. Their amendments make a strong bill even stronger by ensuring our efforts are as coordinated and effective as possible.

The updated bill includes important improvements.

One, it mandates greater collaboration between the Department of Homeland Security and the Drug Enforcement Administration, ensuring that expertise and resources are shared in this fight.

Two, it prioritizes accuracy, efficiency, and innovation in drug detection technologies, including improving

reference libraries to ensure no deadly substance escapes detection.

Three, Mr. Speaker, it aligns research priorities with specific threats, incorporating not only DEA reports but also the latest Homeland Threat Assessment to address emerging challenges.

Finally, four, it preserves the authorities of Federal agencies managing detection equipment and reference libraries, maintaining a seamless response across departments.

These changes reflect the urgency and complexity of the crisis that we as a nation face.

This legislation will empower our law enforcement officers, public health workers, and communities by developing cutting-edge technology to detect and intercept dangerous substances; strengthening partnerships between Federal, State, and local agencies; and staying ahead of drug traffickers' tactics through innovation and advanced research.

This bill is more than just policy. It is a commitment to saving American lives.

Mr. Speaker, every overdose prevented means a family spared from grief, a child with a parent, and a community with hope.

I express my deep appreciation for my good friend, Congressman Lou Correa, for joining me in championing this important legislation. His steadfast dedication to this cause along with Senators John Cornyn, Jon Ossoff, and Kyrsten Sinema's thoughtful contributions are getting the bill over the finish line and onto the President's desk.

I also thank the many organizations representing law enforcement professionals, public health advocates, and local communities. Their input has been invaluable.

Mr. Speaker, the clock is ticking, and lives are at stake. Let us come together once again to pass the amended DETECT Fentanyl and Xylazine Act and send it to the President's desk.

Let us give our law enforcement the tools that they need, and let us stand with our communities. Let us take a giant leap toward ending this deadly epidemic.

Mr. Speaker, the United States of America, the greatest nation the world has ever known, is facing an unprecedented crisis as deadly drugs like fentanyl and xylazine devastate our communities. It is imperative that our leaders here in Congress work together to confront this epidemic and save lives.

Last year, there were over 107,000 drug overdose deaths. Of those deaths, over 81,000 involved opioids. Based on prior years' statistics, we estimate that fentanyl was responsible for nearly 90 percent of all synthetic opioid-related deaths. That is almost 73,000 fentanyl deaths in just 1 year.

These staggering statistics are not just numbers. They represent real lives lost, real families shattered, and real communities that are forever changed for the worse. It is the biggest cause of death of Americans ages 18-45, and it does not discriminate based on race or economic class. It kills in each of our districts--170 fentanyl deaths per congressional district per year on average.

Even more troubling is xylazine. Known on the streets as tranq, it is now being mixed with fentanyl, making the drug even more deadly and more difficult to detect.

We must do more, more to get these dangerous substances off our streets and ensure our law enforcement officers have every tool and resource necessary to combat this crisis effectively, which is why I was proud to introduce the DETECT Fentanyl and Xylazine Act, a bipartisan bill that will do just that.

This legislation is not just a response to the ever-growing threat of illicit narcotics like fentanyl and xylazine. It is a critical step in our fight to protect our communities and to save lives.

Too many Americans have experienced the devastation caused by illicit drugs like fentanyl and xylazine. These substances have infiltrated our neighborhoods, torn families apart, and claimed countless lives across our great Nation. From Long Island to Los Angeles, no community has been spared, and for far too long, illegal drug smugglers have made it their mission to poison our streets with these illicit substances.

Every day, our law enforcement officers, those on the front lines of this battle, are forced to confront these threats with often outdated and inadequate tools. That is why this legislation is so important.

The act will authorize the Department of Homeland Security to conduct critical research and development, testing, and evaluation of state-of- the-art detection equipment. This legislation will also empower Federal, State, local, and Tribal law enforcement agencies with the best technology available to detect and intercept even the smallest amounts of these dangerous substances.

This legislation will also create an important new statutory responsibility for the Science and Technology Directorate at DHS to focus on three key areas: one, developing portable detection equipment; two, improving technologies to separate complex mixtures; and, three, leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Let me be clear. This is not just about equipment and technology. This is about the lives that we have a duty to protect. It is about ensuring that a child does not lose a parent to a lethal dose of fentanyl. It is about preventing the next wave of overdose deaths that leaves yet another community in mourning. It is about making sure that every law enforcement officer has the tools they need to safely and effectively do their job.

I thank my friend from the other side of the aisle and fellow Homeland Security Committee member, Congressman Lou Correa, for partnering with me in introducing this critical bipartisan legislation and Senators Cornyn, Ossoff, and Sinema for their partnership in the Senate in this vital legislation.

I also thank the coalitions of organizations representing law enforcement professionals, public health advocates, and local governments across the Nation that have endorsed this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the DETECT Fentanyl and Xylazine Act. Let's give our law enforcement the resources they need, let's protect our communities, and let's save lives.

Madam Speaker, I rise today on the solemn anniversary of the most tragic day in modern American history, the September 11 attacks.

Our Nation was deliberately attacked 23 years ago by al-Qaida terrorists, killing almost 3,000 Americans and injuring countless more in the worst attack against our homeland in American history.

On this day, let us honor the memories of the fallen and stand with the friends and families of those who perished. May their memories always be a blessing.

Let us also commend the courage of the first responders and emergency personnel who put themselves in harm's way to help the victims. While others ran to safety, these individuals braved smoke and fire in service to their fellow Americans, sometimes paying the ultimate sacrifice while in the line of duty.

While the terrorists hoped this brazen attack would break America's resolve, they were dead wrong. In the days and months following 9/11, our Nation came together with a renewed sense of fortitude, unity, and determination. It sparked an enduring sense of resilience that carried us through the darkest hour and emboldened us to hold those responsible accountable.

May God bless America.

Fentanyl Crisis in Arizona

Madam Speaker, I rise today to shine a light on the destructive surge and scourge of fentanyl, which is poisoning communities in my district and across the Nation. Across America, countless lives have been lost, and too many families have felt the pain of losing a loved one.

In May, I hosted Members of the Judiciary Committee for a field hearing in my district. We heard from Jill Fagan Alexander, a mother who has tragically lost not only one, but two children to the fentanyl crisis, Sam and Gabe. Tragically, these are only two of the many lives lost to the poison at the hands of the Mexican drug cartels and the Chinese Communist Party.

Amid the ongoing border crisis, the amount of fentanyl entering our country has spiked to record levels, endangering citizens across the Nation. In Arizona, the cost of this epidemic ballooned to over $58 billion in 2023, accounting for the cost of hospitals, public services, law enforcement officers, and the loss of quality of life and productivity of those suffering from this addiction.

Just this week, this body passed H.R. 8663, the DETECT Fentanyl and Xylazine Act. This would authorize DHS to test and develop more technology to better detect these deadly drugs. However, we must do more.

I stand willing and ready to work with any of my colleagues who want to find solutions to solve this crisis. The stakes could not be clearer. One pill can kill. We must do more to fight the spread of fentanyl to ensure the safety of our citizens and our communities.

Rural Pharmacies Closing in Arizona

Madam Speaker, I rise today with the grave concerns over the continued reports of pharmacies closing in rural communities across my district.

I was notified by a constituent recently that two independent pharmacies in Willcox and Benson will soon close, citing the constrictive practices of pharmacy benefit managers. Local independent pharmacies are critical to rural communities as they are often the only medical provider for hundreds of miles, especially in light of the vast consolidation of large pharmacies buying up smaller ones.

We must stand for independent practices that serve our local communities. As we speak, this becomes a rural access health crisis, forcing residents of those communities to travel long distances to receive the medication and medical services that they need. This not only places an undue burden on those with limited resources and mobility, but it also increases their risk of delayed treatments and worsened health outcomes, leaving rural communities vulnerable and underserved.

It is critical that we address this growing problem now and support our rural pharmacies to ensure that all individuals, regardless of where they live, have access to the healthcare that they deserve.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

H.R. 8663, the Detection Equipment and Technology Evaluation to Counter the Threat of Fentanyl and Xylazine Act is a critical piece of legislation that empowers the DHS Science and Technology Directorate to enhance the ability of all levels of law enforcement to detect and disrupt illicit substances.

This bipartisan bill, which is cosponsored in the House by my colleagues Congressmen Lou Correa and Don Davis, was initially introduced by Senators Cornyn, Ossoff, Lankford, and Sinema this past spring.

The bill mandates the development of advanced technologies, such as portable drug detectors that require minimal sample handling, equipment capable of separating complex drug mixtures into identifiable components, and the use of artificial intelligence to identify emerging threats.

These innovations are designed to improve the efficiency and accuracy of drug detection efforts, providing law enforcement with the tools they need to stay ahead of traffickers and safeguard our communities.

While this bipartisan bill is undeniably a step forward in combating the widespread issue of illicit substances like fentanyl and xylazine, it is essential to recognize that its impact goes far beyond the narrow scope of any nation's involvement, including China's. The challenges of detecting these dangerous drugs are global in nature, and the solutions proposed by this bill address a broad spectrum of threats that law enforcement faces across the United States.

This bill is primarily a response and provides comprehensive benefits in bolstering our national security and public health infrastructure. Therefore, while we strongly support the bill's objectives, we resist the effort to politicize any aspect of this critical issue, especially given the complexity and widespread nature of this action.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Republicans and Democrats alike recognize the challenges facing law enforcement in the detection of dangerous drugs like fentanyl. H.R. 8663 is a step in the right direction, and I urge my colleagues to support it. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.