WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, Senator Rick Scott’s bipartisan legislation, the Eradicating Narcotic Drugs and Formulating Effective New Tools to Address National Yearly Losses of Life (END FENTANYL) Act, unanimously passed the Senate and heads to the House of Representatives where Congressmen Michael Guest and David Trone have introduced the House companion legislation. The END FENTANYL Act would require the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to update its policies at least once every three years to ensure operational field manuals, including their drug interdiction guidance, is up to date. This legislation builds off the 2019 GAO report, “Land Ports of Entry: CBP Should Update Policies and Enhance Analysis of Inspections,” that found drug interdiction guidance has not been updated in 20 years. This legislation is co-sponsored by Senators Mike Braun, Maggie Hassan, Dianne Feinstein and Jacky Rosen.

Senator Rick Scott said, “For too long, the crushing heartbreak felt from losing a loved one to a drug overdose, and the opioids that cause them, have plagued American families. This epidemic, fueled by the massive amounts of fentanyl flowing illegally over our southern border into our communities, has only grown worse. Every life taken by an accidental drug poisoning is a preventable tragedy and we must do everything in our power to stop them. We must continue our work to support our brave CBP agents, and all who are on the frontlines of this battle, ensuring they have every tool needed to fight back, keep these dangerous drugs out of our country and save lives. This is a big win in our fight against the lethal opioid epidemic, but it is not the end. I am thankful for my colleagues in the Senate voting for its passage, in addition to Congressmen Guest and Trone for leading this bipartisan charge in the House. I look forward to working together to get this important bill to the president’s desk and signed into law.”

The END FENTANYL Act would:

• Require the Commissioner of CBP to review and update the Office of Field Operations’ policies and handbooks, as necessary and at least once every three years in order to respond to illegal activity, such as the smuggling of drugs and humans, along the border.
• Require the Commissioner of CBP to submit a report to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives that summarizes the policy and manual changes every three years.

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