,,ii #aaith ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #ich ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,march #aa 7legislative day1 ,march #aj71 #bjbe,mr4 ,mc,cormick 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,coons1 ,mrs4 ,britt1 and ,mr4 ,fetterman7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on the ,judiciary ,a ,,bill ,to establish the ,joint ,task ,force to ,counter the ,illicit ,synthetic ,narcotics4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,joint ,task ,force to ,counter ,illicit ,synthetic ,narcotics ,act of #bjbe4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,the ,united ,states is experiencing a crisis of substance abuse and addiction resulting in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people of the ,united ,states4 ,most of these deaths involve some form of opioids4 7#b7 ,there are many elements of ,federal1 ,state1 territorial1 ,tribal1 and local governments working to combat the opioid epidemic4 7#c7 ,no central entity exists at the appropriate level whereby different agencies can share information and coordinate efforts to combat the opioid crisis4 #c4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,controlled substance2 listed chemical ,the terms controlled substance and listed chemical have the meanings given the terms in section #ajb of the ,controlled ,substances ,act 7#ba ,u4,s4,c4 #hjb74 7#b7 ,director ,the term ,director means the ,director of the ,,jtf-,,isn4 7#c7 ,illicit synthetic narcotic ,the term illicit synthetic narcotic means-- 7,a7 a controlled substance with the exception of-- 7i7 a substance of natural origin2 or 7ii7 a medication-- 7,i7 that is lawful under the laws of the ,united ,states2 and 7,,ii7 for which the ,drug ,enforcement ,administration has provided an import permit to the importing organization for the import of the medication2 7,b7 a listed chemical2 and 7,c7 an active pharmaceutical ingredient or chemical that is used in the production of a controlled substance or listed chemical in subparagraphs 7,a7 and 7,b74 7#d7 ,,jtf-,,isn ,the term ,,jtf-,,isn means the ,joint ,task ,force to ,counter ,illicit ,synthetic ,narcotics established under section #d4 #d4 ,establishment of joint task force to counter illicit synthetic narcotics 7a7 ,in general ,there is established a ,joint ,task ,force to ,counter ,illicit ,synthetic ,narcotics4 7b7 ,membership ,the ,,jtf-,,isn shall be composed of representatives of the following entities3 7#a7 ,the ,department of ,justice1 including-- 7,a7 the ,drug ,enforcement ,administration2 7,b7 the ,federal ,bureau of ,investigation2 and 7,c7 assistant ,united ,states attorneys and trial attorneys1 as the ,director determines are appropriate4 7#b7 ,the ,department of the ,treasury1 including-- 7,a7 the ,counter-,fentanyl ,strike ,force2 7,b7 the ,internal ,revenue ,service ,criminal ,investigation2 7,c7 the ,financial ,crimes ,enforcement ,network2 7,d7 the ,office of ,foreign ,assets ,control2 and 7,e7 ,office of ,intelligence and ,analysis4 7#c7 ,the ,department of ,homeland ,security1 including-- 7,a7 ,homeland ,security ,investigations2 7,b7 ,u4,s4 ,customs and ,border ,protection1 including the ,national ,targeting ,center2 7,c7 ,immigration and ,customs ,enforcement2 and 7,d7 the ,united ,states ,coast ,guard4 7#d7 ,the ,department of ,state4 7#e7 ,the ,department of ,commerce4 7#f7 ,the ,department of ,defense4 7#g7 ,the ,office of the ,director of ,national ,intelligence4 7#h7 ,any other agency the ,director deems appropriate4 7c7 ,director 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,,jtf-,,isn shall be led by a ,director who shall be appointed by the ,president1 by and with the advice and consent of the ,senate4 7#b7 ,compensation ,the ,director shall be compensated at the rate of basic pay prescribed for level ,,ii of the ,executive ,schedule under section #ecac of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code4 7d7 ,reporting 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,director shall report to the ,attorney ,general4 7#b7 ,reports and briefings ,not later than #ahj days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 and every #ahj days thereafter1 the ,director shall submit to the ,committee on the ,judiciary and the ,committee on ,homeland ,security and ,governmental ,affairs of the ,senate and the ,committee on the ,judiciary and the ,committee on ,homeland ,security of the ,house of ,representatives a report1 and upon request of the chairman or ranking member of any such committee1 a briefing that includes-- 7,a7 a comprehensive plan covering the #b-year period beginning on the date on which the report is submitted or the briefing is made1 as applicable1 that includes-- 7i7 a description of the goals of the ,,jtf-,,isn2 7ii7 description of areas of improvement with respect to collaboration among the participating agencies2 and 7iii7 an estimate of the funding and staff needed for the continued work of the ,,jtf-,,isn2 7,b7 a statement of the budget priorities of the ,,jtf-,,isn for each year in the #b-year period2 7,c7 a description of the efforts of the ,,jtf-,,isn to investigate and prosecute illicit synthetic narcotics trafficking crimes1 including raids conducted1 assets seized1 assets forfeited and indictments brought and convictions2 and 7,d7 efforts of the ,,jtf-,,isn to address matters related to the role of the ,people's ,republic of ,china in the opioids crisis4 #e4 ,primary missions of ,,jtf-,,isn ,the primary mission of the ,,jtf-,,isn shall be to direct counter opioid and synthetic narcotics activities1 including disruption activities and associated investigations1 and provide strategic coordination on related activities1 including sanctions enforcement1 conducting joint operations1 raids1 and other tactical actions in coordination with ,federal1 ,state1 territorial1 ,tribal1 and local law enforcement agencies through memorandums of understanding such as legal actions against traffickers and foreign entities1 particularly in the ,people's ,republic of ,china1 complicit in the opioid trade4 #f4 ,authority and limitations 7a7 ,authority ,the ,,jtf-,,isn shall be vested with power and authority to-- 7#a7 investigate and prosecute violations of ,federal law relating to-- 7,a7 the trafficking of illicit synthetic narcotics and related offenses1 such as money laundering and other financial crimes2 and 7,b7 smuggling1 false statements1 and any matter that arises or might arises directly from its investigations2 7#b7 in the case of a prosecution relating to non-,united ,states persons outside of the ,united ,states1 bring a case-- 7,a7 in the district where the crime was committed2 7,b7 in the district where the ,drug ,enforcement ,administration is located2 or 7,c7 in a district described in section #cbch of title #ah1 ,united ,states ,code2 7#c7 facilitate the sharing of information between members of the ,,jtf-,,isn in a timely manner2 7#d7 establish protocols for interagency referrals and procedures for referring cases to prosecuting and sanctions designating authorities as appropriate2 7#e7 develop strategies to address the role of the ,people's ,republic of ,china in the illicit synthetic narcotics crisis2 7#f7 work cooperatively with ,state1 territorial1 ,tribal1 and local law enforcement agencies to combat and prosecute trafficking of illicit synthetic narcotics2 7#g7 assess and improve existing methods of investigating and prosecuting illicit synthetic narcotics trafficking crimes2 and 7#h7 conduct direct operational activities1 including joint operations1 raids1 and other tactical actions1 to disrupt illicit synthetic narcotics trafficking networks and bring offenders to justice4 7b7 ,limitation ,the ,director may not direct the execution of operational activities outside the scope of counter-opioid efforts related to illicit synthetic narcotics suppliers and their networks pursuant to the primary missions of the ,,jtf-,,isn4 #g4 ,internal structure of ,,jtf-,,isn 7a7 ,intelligence coordination ,the ,director shall establish and maintain within the ,,jtf-,,isn an intelligence coordination element1 which shall have primary responsibility within the ,united ,states ,government for analysis of illicit synthetic narcotics and related trafficking organizations from all sources of intelligence1 whether collected inside or outside the ,united ,states4 7b7 ,strategic operational planning 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,director shall establish and maintain within the ,,jtf-,,isn a strategic operational planning element1 which shall provide strategic operational plans for counter-opioid operations conducted by the ,united ,states ,government1 and include the mission1 objectives to be achieved1 tasks to be performed1 interagency coordination of operational activities1 and the assignment of roles and responsibilities4 7#b7 ,monitoring ,the ,director shall monitor the implementation of strategic operational plans and shall obtain information from each element of the intelligence community1 and from each other department1 agency1 or element of the ,united ,states ,government relevant for monitoring the progress of such entity in implementing such plans4 7c7 ,office of ,general ,counsel ,the ,director shall establish and maintain within the ,,jtf-,,isn an ,office of ,general ,counsel1 which shall provide legal advice in support of the ,,jtf-,,isn and its directorates4 7d7 ,office of ,congressional ,coordination ,the ,director shall establish and maintain within the ,,jtf-,,isn an ,office of ,congressional ,coordination1 which shall coordinate communications of the ,,jtf-,,isn with ,congress and ensure compliance with reporting and briefing obligations under this ,act4 #h4 ,retention of existing authorities ,each member of the ,,jtf-,,isn shall maintain their existing authorities to investigate and prosecute trafficking crimes relating to illicit synthetic narcotics4 #i4 ,rule of construction ,nothing in this ,act shall be construed to authorize the ,,jtf-,,isn to investigate1 target1 or prosecute individuals for personal drug use or to pursue enforcement actions against low-level drug dealing that does not involve significant connections to larger trafficking networks4