Salazar’s Anti-Fentanyl Legislation Passes House
WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 9172, the Destruction Initiative for Stored Precursors Overseas and Safe Enforcement (DISPOSE) Act, as part of the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2025.
The bill was introduced by House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere Chairwoman María Elvira Salazar (R-FL) and Ranking Member Joaquin Castro (D-TX). Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and Jim Risch (R-ID) introduced companion legislation in the Senate.
The DISPOSE Act creates fentanyl and precursor chemical destruction facilities in three critical drug trafficking choke points: Mexico, Colombia, and Peru. The bill keeps Americans safe by fighting illicit drugs where they are sourced, cutting off the supply of chemicals and drugs before they reach American shores.
“The fentanyl crisis is destroying American communities, and Miami is no stranger to the dangers these drugs pose,” said Chairwoman Salazar. “Thank you to House Republican Leadership for prioritizing my DISPOSE Act in the National Defense Authorization Act. This bill will save American lives and rob cartels and criminals of a major source of income.
“The deadly fentanyl trade is an international crisis that demands full attention from Congress,” said Congressman Joaquin Castro, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere. “Last year, more than 500 people in the San Antonio area died from fentanyl that should never have reached Texas. The DISPOSE Act takes common-sense steps to help America’s partners seize and destroy fentanyl precursors and save lives. I’m proud to partner with Chairwoman Salazar, Senator Grassley, and Senator Shaheen on this important step forward and I look forward to seeing President Biden sign the DISPOSE Act into law."
“We must DISPOSE of fentanyl and the devastation it is unleashing all across our country,” said Congressman Lawler. “The DISPOSE Act is an important step toward accomplishing that goal and saving lives from this deadly poison. I was proud to be an original co-sponsor on this measure, was pleased to see it pass the House as part of the NDAA, and I look forward to seeing this crucial legislation become law. I commend Congresswoman Salazar for her leadership on this and look forward to continue working with her and all of my colleagues in both parties to end the fentanyl crisis once and for all.”
“Strengthening our collaboration with partners in Latin America on drug interdiction efforts will help stop fentanyl and other deadly substances from flowing into our communities,” said Congressman Chris Pappas. “The DISPOSE Act will establish centers in Mexico, Colombia, and Peru that identify and destroy fentanyl and precursor drugs, stopping these drugs before they reach American soil. I’ll continue to support efforts that hold drug traffickers accountable, keep our communities safe, and save lives.”
“Fentanyl has devastated so many Arizona families, and we need every tool available to us to stop its flow into the United States,” said Rep. Stanton. “The DISPOSE Act deepens our cooperation with Latin American partners to destroy precursor chemicals before they reach our borders. I’m glad to see this important legislation pass as part of the bipartisan NDAA and look forward to it being signed into law.”
BACKGROUND:
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.
This bill passed the House Foreign Affairs Committee in September with unanimous support.
###