FEND Off Fentanyl Act
5/3/2024, 2:31 PMSummary of Bill S 1271
The FEND Off Fentanyl Act, also known as Bill 118 s 1271, is a piece of legislation currently being considered by the US Congress. The main goal of this bill is to address the growing crisis of fentanyl-related overdoses in the United States. Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid that is significantly more potent than other opioids, such as heroin or morphine, and has been responsible for a large number of overdose deaths in recent years.The FEND Off Fentanyl Act aims to combat this crisis by providing funding for programs that focus on prevention, education, and treatment related to fentanyl use. This includes increasing access to naloxone, a medication that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, as well as expanding resources for substance abuse treatment and recovery services.
Additionally, the bill seeks to enhance law enforcement efforts to crack down on the illegal distribution of fentanyl and other synthetic opioids. This includes increasing penalties for those who are caught trafficking these dangerous substances and providing resources for law enforcement agencies to better track and intercept fentanyl shipments. Overall, the FEND Off Fentanyl Act is a comprehensive piece of legislation that aims to address the fentanyl crisis from multiple angles, including prevention, treatment, and enforcement. It is currently being debated in Congress, with bipartisan support for its passage in order to combat the devastating impact of fentanyl on communities across the country.
Congressional Summary of S 1271
Fentanyl Eradication and Narcotics Deterrence Off Fentanyl Act or the FEND Off Fentanyl Act
This bill requires or authorizes various actions, including sanctions, targeting foreign persons (individuals and entities) engaged in trafficking of fentanyl and other illicit opioids.
This bill requires that the sanctions specified in Executive Order 14059 (relating to sanctions on foreign persons involved in the global illicit drug trade), as well as any amendments to or directives issued pursuant to that executive order before the date of the enactment of this bill, shall remain in effect.
The bill also requires the President to impose property-blocking sanctions on any foreign person knowingly involved in (1) significant trafficking of fentanyl, fentanyl precursors, or other related opioids including such trafficking by a transnational criminal organization; or (2) significant activities of a transnational criminal organization relating to the trafficking of fentanyl, fentanyl precursors, or other related opioids.
The Department of the Treasury is authorized to take certain actions relating to financial institutions, classes of transactions, or types of accounts that (1) involve a non-U.S. jurisdiction, and (2) are of primary money laundering concern in connection with illicit opioid trafficking. For such institutions, transaction classes, or account types, Treasury may require domestic financial institutions to (1) take certain special measures, (2) prohibit certain transmittals of funds, or (3) impose conditions on transmittals of funds.
Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network must issue guidance to U.S. financial institutions for filing reports of suspicious transactions related to suspected fentanyl trafficking by transnational criminal organizations.
