I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 4739 

To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to protect U.S. Customs 

and Border Protection officers, agents, other personnel, and canines 

against potential synthetic opioid exposure, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 18, 2019 

Ms. CLARKE of New York (for herself, Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi, Miss 

RICE of New York, Mr. ROSE of New York, Mr. KING of New York, Mr. 

KATKO, Mr. HIGGINS of Louisiana, Ms. SLOTKIN, and Mr. ROGERS of 

Alabama) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committee on Ways 

and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, 

in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to protect 

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers, agents, 

other personnel, and canines against potential synthetic 

opioid exposure, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Synthetic Opioid Expo5 sure Prevention and Training Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. PROTECTION AGAINST POTENTIAL SYNTHETIC 

2 OPIOID EXPOSURE WITHIN U.S. CUSTOMS 

3 AND BORDER PROTECTION. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subtitle B of title IV of the 

5 Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 211 et seq.) 

6 is amended by inserting after section 415 the following 

7 new section: 

8 ‘‘SEC. 416. PROTECTION AGAINST POTENTIAL SYNTHETIC 

9 OPIOID EXPOSURE. 

10 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Commissioner of U.S. Cus11 toms and Border Protection shall issue a policy that speci12 fies effective protocols and procedures for the safe han13 dling of potential synthetic opioids, including fentanyl, by 

14 U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers, agents, 

15 other personnel, and canines, and to reduce the risk of 

16 injury or death resulting from accidental exposure and en17 hance post-exposure management. 

18 ‘‘(b) TRAINING.— 

19 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Together with the issuance 

20 of the policy described in subsection (a), the Com21 missioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection 

22 shall require mandatory and recurrent training on 

23 the following: 

24 ‘‘(A) The potential risk of opioid exposure 

25 and safe handling procedures for potential syn26 thetic opioids, including precautionary measures 


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1 such as the use of personal protective equip2 ment during such handling. 

3 ‘‘(B) How to access and administer opioid 

4 receptor antagonists, including naloxone, post5 exposure to potential synthetic opioids. 

6 ‘‘(2) INTEGRATION.—The training described in 

7 paragraph (1) may be integrated into existing train8 ing under section 411(l) for U.S. Customs and Bor9 der Protection officers, agents, and other personnel. 

10 ‘‘(c) PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT AND

11 OPIOID RECEPTOR ANTAGONISTS.—Together with the 

12 issuance of the policy described in subsection (a), the 

13 Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection 

14 shall ensure the availability of personal protective equip15 ment and opioid receptor antagonists, including naloxone, 

16 to all U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers, 

17 agents, other personnel, and canines at risk of accidental 

18 exposure to synthetic opioids. 

19 ‘‘(d) OVERSIGHT.—To ensure effectiveness of the pol20 icy described in subsection (a)— 

21 ‘‘(1) the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and 

22 Border Protection shall regularly monitor the effi23 cacy of the implementation of such policy and adjust 

24 protocols and procedures, as necessary; and 


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1 ‘‘(2) the Inspector General of the Department 

2 shall audit compliance with the requirements of this 

3 section not less than once each year for the five 

4 years after the date of the enactment of this sec5 tion.’’. 

6 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 

7 in section 1(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is 

8 amended by inserting after the item relating to section 

9 415 the following new item: 

‘‘Sec. 416. Protection against potential synthetic opioid exposure.’’. 

Æ 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS