,,ii #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #bcbc ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,july #cj1 #bjai ,mr4 ,markey introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,homeland ,security and ,governmental ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to require the screening of #ajj percent of international mail and express cargo inbound into the ,united ,states from high-risk countries to detect and prevent the importation of illicit fentanyl and other illicit synthetic opioids1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,screening ,all ,fentanyl-,enhanced ,mail ,act of #bjai or the ,,safe ,mail ,act4 #b4 ,findings ,congress makes the following findings3 7#a7 ,the ,united ,states continues to experience an epidemic of overdoses of fentanyl1 heroin1 and prescription opioids that claimed more than #di1jjj lives in #bjag4 7#b7 ,fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that depresses central nervous system and respiratory function1 with euphoric effects that may be more powerful than the euphoric effects of heroin or morphine4 7#c7 ,the effect of fentanyl can be up to #ej times stronger than the effect of heroin1 and #ej to #ajj times stronger than the effect of morphine4 7#d7 ,although pharmaceutical fentanyl can be diverted for misuse1 most fentanyl deaths are believed to be linked to illicit fentanyl4 7#e7 ,across the ,united ,states1 the use of illicit fentanyl and deaths related to that use are rising at alarming rates4 7#f7 ,according to the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention1 between #bjaf and #bjag1 the rate of drug overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids--largely fentanyl--increased by #de percent4 7#g7 ,in #bjag1 more than #bh1jjj deaths involving synthetic opioids--largely fentanyl--occurred in the ,united ,states1 outnumbering deaths from any other type of opioid4 ,according to preliminary data from the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention1 that figure increased to nearly #cb1jjj deaths in #bjah4 7#h7 ,depending on the route of administration and other factors1 as little as #b milligrams of illicit fentanyl 7similar in size to a few grains of salt7 can be fatal4 7#i7 ,fentanyl is the primary synthetic opioid available in the ,united ,states4 7#aj7 ,the internet has significantly increased the availability of illicit fentanyl and other illicit synthetic opioids in the ,united ,states4 ,those drugs are widely advertised for sale1 and are available for purchase1 on the open and dark web4 7#aa7 ,most illicit fentanyl trafficked into the ,united ,states originates in the ,people's ,republic of ,china and is transported into the ,united ,states in parcel packages directly from the ,people's ,republic of ,china or from the ,people's ,republic of ,china through ,canada4 7#ab7 ,fentanyl arriving in the mail directly from the ,people's ,republic of ,china can have exceptionally high purities--over #ij percent--posing a great risk to the purchaser and user1 and allowing it to be adulterated many more times and turned into larger amounts for sale and use4 7#ac7 ,as the designated postal operator in the ,united ,states1 the ,united ,states ,postal ,service accepts and delivers inbound international mail on behalf of designated postal operators around the world4 7#ad7 ,express consignment operators accept items from customers in foreign countries and transport and deliver those items in the ,united ,states4 7#ae7 ,u4,s4 ,customs and ,border ,protection inspects mail and express cargo arriving in the ,united ,states and seizes illegal goods1 including those that may pose threats to health and safety1 ecology1 and businesses in the ,united ,states4 7#af7 ,u4,s4 ,customs and ,border ,protection is able to screen only a tiny fraction of all inbound international mail and express cargo into the ,united ,states1 contributing to the influx of illicit fentanyl that is causing tens of thousands of deaths in the ,united ,states annually4 #c4 ,sense of ,congress ,it is the sense of ,congress that-- 7#a7 in order to save potentially tens of thousands of lives in the ,united ,states annually1 the ,federal ,government must make it a high priority to stem the flow of illicit fentanyl into the ,united ,states through increased detection and interception of inbound international mail and express cargo2 and 7#b7 the ,federal ,government must resolve to achieve the automated screening of #ajj percent of international mail and express cargo inbound into the ,united ,states from high-risk countries for illicit fentanyl and other illicit synthetic opioids4 #d4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,appropriate congressional committees ,the term appropriate congressional committees means-- 7,a7 the ,committee on ,homeland ,security of the ,house of ,representatives2 and 7,b7 the ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation and the ,committee on ,homeland ,security and ,governmental ,affairs of the ,senate4 7#b7 ,express cargo ,the term express cargo has the meaning given the term cargo in section #abh4a of title #ai1 ,code of ,federal ,regulations 7or any corresponding similar regulation or ruling74 7#c7 ,high-risk country ,the term high-risk country means a country identified by the ,secretary1 in consultation with the officials specified in section #e7;b71 as a country that poses a high risk of being the source of international mail and express cargo inbound into the ,united ,states containing illicit fentanyl and other illicit synthetic opioids4 7#d7 ,illicit fentanyl ,the term illicit fentanyl means illicitly manufactured fentanyl and illicit versions of chemically similar compounds known as fentanyl analogues4 7#e7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of ,homeland ,security4 #e4 ,development of technology to detect illicit fentanyl and other illicit synthetic opioids in international mail and express cargo 7a7 ,in general ,not later than #b years after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary1 in coordination with the officials specified in subsection 7b71 shall carry out and complete a program of research and development of technology that1 when fully deployed1 will automate the detection of illicit fentanyl and other illicit synthetic opioids in #ajj percent of international mail and express cargo inbound into the ,united ,states from high-risk countries4 7b7 ,officials specified ,the officials specified in this subsection are the following3 7#a7 ,the ,commissioner of ,u4,s4 ,customs and ,border ,protection4 7#b7 ,the ,chief ,postal ,inspector for the ,united ,states ,postal ,inspection ,service4 7#c7 ,the ,director of the ,office of ,national ,drug ,control ,policy4 7#d7 ,the ,administrator of the ,drug ,enforcement ,administration4 7#e7 ,the heads of such other government agencies and private sector entities as the ,secretary considers appropriate4 7c7 ,program elements ,to the extent the ,secretary considers appropriate1 the program required by subsection 7a7 may incorporate by reference1 and rely on1 any and all aspects of the ,opioid ,detection ,challenge conducted by the ,science and ,technology ,directorate of the ,department of ,homeland ,security1 ,u4,s4 ,customs and ,border ,protection1 the ,united ,states ,postal ,inspection ,service1 and the ,office of ,national ,drug ,control ,policy1 including its findings and results4 #f4 #ajj percent screening of illicit fentanyl and other illicit synthetic opioids in inbound international mail and express cargo from high-risk countries 7a7 ,in general ,not later than #e years after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary shall implement an automated system to screen #ajj percent of international mail and express cargo inbound into the ,united ,states from high-risk countries to detect1 and prevent the importation into the ,united ,states of1 illicit fentanyl and other illicit synthetic opioids4 7b7 ,requirements ,in developing the system required by subsection 7a71 the ,secretary shall-- 7#a7 develop an automated1 nonintrusive method of detecting illicit fentanyl and other illicit synthetic opioids in international mail and express cargo inbound into the ,united ,states that does not unreasonably delay delivery of such mail and cargo2 7#b7 approve the use of appropriate equipment1 technology1 procedures1 personnel1 and methods for conducting screening of such mail and cargo under the system2 and 7#c7 provide for the phased implementation of the system so that-- 7,a7 not later than #ah months after the completion of the research and development program required by section #e7;a71 #ej percent of such mail and cargo shall be screened under the system2 and 7,b7 not later than #c years after the completion of that program1 #ajj percent of such mail and cargo shall be screened under the system4 7c7 ,regulations 7#a7 ,interim final rule ,the ,secretary may issue an interim final rule as a temporary regulation to implement this section without regard to the provisions of chapter #e of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code4 7#b7 ,final rule 7,a7 ,in general ,if the ,secretary issues an interim final rule under paragraph 7#a71 the ,secretary shall issue1 not later than one year after the effective date of the interim final rule1 a final rule as a permanent regulation to implement this section in accordance with the provisions of chapter #e of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code4 7,b7 ,failure to act ,if the ,secretary does not issue a final rule in accordance with subparagraph 7,a7 on or before the last day of the one-year period referred to in that subparagraph1 the ,secretary shall1 not later than #aj days after such last day and every #cj days thereafter until the ,secretary issues such a final rule1 submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report-- 7i7 explaining why the final rule was not timely issued2 and 7ii7 providing an estimate of the earliest date on which the ,secretary will be able to issue the final rule4 7,c7 ,superceding of interim final rule ,the final rule issued in accordance with this paragraph shall supersede the interim final rule issued under paragraph 7#a74 7d7 ,report required ,not later than one year after the date on which the system required by subsection 7a7 is fully implemented1 the ,secretary shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report that describes the system4 #g4 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this ,act4