IB 

Union Calendar No. 259 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 4739 

[Report No. 116–318, Part I] 

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 

DECEMBER 3, 2019 

Additional sponsor: Mr. MCCAUL

DECEMBER 3, 2019 

Reported from the Committee on Homeland Security 

DECEMBER 3, 2019 

Committee on Ways and Means discharged; committed to the Committee of 

the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
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•HR 4739 RH

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. 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
3 

•HR 4739 RH

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’’. 

6 SEC. 2. PROTECTION AGAINST POTENTIAL SYNTHETIC 

7 OPIOID EXPOSURE WITHIN U.S. CUSTOMS 

8 AND BORDER PROTECTION. 

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

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

11 is amended by inserting after section 415 the following 

12 new section: 

13 ‘‘SEC. 416. PROTECTION AGAINST POTENTIAL SYNTHETIC 

14 OPIOID EXPOSURE. 

15 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Commissioner of U.S. Cus16 toms and Border Protection shall issue a policy that speci17 fies effective protocols and procedures for the safe han18 dling of potential synthetic opioids, including fentanyl, by 

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

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

21 injury or death resulting from accidental exposure and en22 hance post-exposure management. 

23 ‘‘(b) TRAINING.— 

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

25 of the policy described in subsection (a), the ComVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:17 Dec 04, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4739.RH H4739

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•HR 4739 RH

1 missioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection 

2 shall require mandatory and recurrent training on 

3 the following: 

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

5 and safe handling procedures for potential syn6 thetic opioids, including precautionary measures 

7 such as the use of personal protective equip8 ment during such handling. 

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

10 receptor antagonists, including naloxone, post11 exposure to potential synthetic opioids. 

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

13 paragraph (1) may be integrated into existing train14 ing under section 411(l) for U.S. Customs and Bor15 der Protection officers, agents, and other personnel. 

16 ‘‘(c) PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT AND

17 OPIOID RECEPTOR ANTAGONISTS.—Together with the 

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

19 Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection 

20 shall ensure the availability of personal protective equip21 ment and opioid receptor antagonists, including naloxone, 

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

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

24 exposure to synthetic opioids. 


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•HR 4739 RH

1 ‘‘(d) OVERSIGHT.—To ensure effectiveness of the pol2 icy described in subsection (a)— 

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

4 Border Protection shall regularly monitor the effi5 cacy of the implementation of such policy and adjust 

6 protocols and procedures, as necessary; and 

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

8 shall audit compliance with the requirements of this 

9 section not less than once each year for the five 

10 years after the date of the enactment of this sec11 tion.’’. 

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

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

14 amended by inserting after the item relating to section 

15 415 the following new item: 

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


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
Union Calendar No. 259 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 4739 

[Report No. 116–318, Part I] 

A BILL 

To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to 

purposes. potential synthetic opioid exposure, and for other cers, agents, other personnel, and canines against protect U.S. Customs and Border Protection offiDECEMBER 3, 2019 

Reported from the Committee on Homeland Security 

DECEMBER 3, 2019 

Committee on Ways and Means discharged; committed to 

Union and ordered to be printed the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS