Salazar Introduces Legislation to Fight Fentanyl Crisis

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Reps. María Elvira Salazar (R-FL) and Joaquin Castro (D-TX), in conjunction with Reps. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Mike Lawler (R-NY), Dina Titus (D-NV), Greg Stanton (D-AZ), Rich McCormick (R-GA), Chris Pappas (D-NH), Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-OR), Brad Schneider (D-IL), Colin Allred (D-TX), Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), and James Moylan (R-GU) introduced H.R. 9172, the Destruction Initiative for Stored Precursors Overseas and Safe Enforcement (DISPOSE) Act. This legislation creates fentanyl and precursor chemical destruction facilities in three critical drug trafficking choke points: Mexico, Colombia, and Peru.

Much of the fentanyl and other synthetic drugs that have taken the lives of tens of thousands of Americans either originated in or were trafficked through Latin America. This legislation deals with the problem by developing a strategy to locate, identify, and safely destroy fentanyl precursor chemicals before they reach the United States.

“Fentanyl is killing thousands of Americans, and we can no longer afford to sit still as our enemies flood our communities with these dangerous drugs,” said Rep. Salazar. “The DISPOSE Act will combat the crisis by working with our partners in Latin America to destroy these drugs well before they cross our borders.”

The DISPOSE Act establishes the Precursor Chemical Destruction Initiative to fight drug trafficking with our partners in the Western Hemisphere. Working directly with partner countries, the Initiative will:

• Increase rates of seizure and destruction of listed chemicals in beneficiary countries;
• Alleviate the backlog of seized chemicals and dispose them in an environmentally safe and effective manner;
• Ensure that the seized chemicals are not reintroduced into the illicit drug production network within beneficiary countries;
• Free up storage space for future chemical seizures within beneficiary countries; and
• Reduce the chemicals’ negative environmental impact.

Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and Jim Risch (R-ID) introduced companion legislation in the Senate.

“Congress needs to do our part to address the roots of the fentanyl crisis in our country. The DISPOSE Act will help our neighbors in the Western Hemisphere safely destroy fentanyl and precursor chemicals that have been seized from the black market,” said Rep. Castro. “I’m glad to cosponsor this bipartisan effort to keep these chemicals out of the wrong hands and stop the production of fentanyl before it can be trafficked into the United States.”

“Deadly drugs find their way into our country every day, leaving loved ones and entire communities grieving,” said Senator Grassley. “To stop this tragedy, we need to begin at the source. Our bicameral legislation would target the first link in the illicit drug supply chain in order to cut off this poisonous pipeline. By working with global partners to root out precursor chemicals, we can help stop the flow of drugs and save lives.”

“I’m proud to join Senator Grassley in introducing this bill that would facilitate United States engagement with our partners abroad to destroy seized drugs and prevent them from making it to our borders,” said Senator Shaheen. “This legislation would work to ensure that these dangerous drugs are not diverted back into the illicit drug supply chain and are destroyed in environmentally responsible ways.” 

“Illicit fentanyl and other synthetic opioids pose an unprecedented threat to American families. Far too many people in America know the heartache associated with the loss of life related to these deadly substances,” said Senator Risch. “Addressing this threat requires effective cooperation with international partners. This legislation will deepen cooperation with Mexico and other countries in the Western Hemisphere to verifiably destroy seized precursor chemicals that would have otherwise been used to manufacture illicit drugs claiming so many American lives.”

“Fentanyl overdoses continue to kill Americans in record numbers, and it is of the utmost importance that we are taking common sense steps to stop the flow of deadly substances over our borders and into our communities, crack down on traffickers, and save lives,” said Rep. Pappas. “I join this bipartisan group of my colleagues in introducing the DISPOSE Act which will increase the United States’ collaboration with Mexico, Colombia, and Peru to establish centers that identify and destroy fentanyl and precursor drugs before they reach American soil. I strongly urge House leadership to swiftly bring this bipartisan bill to the floor for a vote.”

“Combatting the fentanyl epidemic requires a comprehensive, regional strategy. Our bipartisan DISPOSE Act works with Latin American countries, including Mexico, to interdict and safely dispose of the precursor chemicals fueling the fentanyl epidemic -- before they reach our southern border,” said Rep. Stanton.

“Fentanyl is killing Virginians and Americans across our country at alarming rates — and far too many of our neighbors have found themselves in the throes of addiction. As a former federal law enforcement officer and a former CIA case officer who tracked cartels, I’ve seen firsthand how criminals manufacture and traffic this deadly drug and other illicit substances into the United States,” said Rep. Spanberger. “Our country must do more to attack the source of the fentanyl crisis and stop the illicit drugs flowing across our southern border from Latin America. By better coordinating our strategy to destroy precursor chemicals, this legislation would help keep these substances out of the illicit drug supply chain and out of our communities.”

“Fentanyl is the number one killer of young Americans and we must rein it in,” said Rep. Lawler. “That’s why I introduced the Fentanyl Kills Act, co-led the FEND Off Fentanyl Act, and co-sponsored the Project Precursor Act. I’m proud to be joining colleagues in both parties to introduce the DISPOSE Act, which will create fentanyl and precursor chemical destruction facilities where they’re needed most. We must DISPOSE of this deadly poison once and for all and the DISPOSE Act is an important step toward accomplishing that goal.”

To read the text of the bill, click here.

###