IIB 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 4739 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

DECEMBER 10, 2019 

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and 

Governmental Affairs 

AN ACT 

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, 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
2 

HR 4739 RFS

1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Synthetic Opioid Expo3 sure Prevention and Training Act’’. 

4 SEC. 2. PROTECTION AGAINST POTENTIAL SYNTHETIC 

5 OPIOID EXPOSURE WITHIN U.S. CUSTOMS 

6 AND BORDER PROTECTION. 

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

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

9 is amended by inserting after section 415 the following 

10 new section: 

11 ‘‘SEC. 416. PROTECTION AGAINST POTENTIAL SYNTHETIC 

12 OPIOID EXPOSURE. 

13 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Commissioner of U.S. Cus14 toms and Border Protection shall issue a policy that speci15 fies effective protocols and procedures for the safe han16 dling of potential synthetic opioids, including fentanyl, by 

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

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

19 injury or death resulting from accidental exposure and en20 hance post-exposure management. 

21 ‘‘(b) TRAINING.— 

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

23 of the policy described in subsection (a), the Com24 missioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection 

25 shall require mandatory and recurrent training on 

26 the following: 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
3 

HR 4739 RFS

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

2 and safe handling procedures for potential syn3 thetic opioids, including precautionary measures 

4 such as the use of personal protective equip5 ment during such handling. 

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

7 receptor antagonists, including naloxone, post8 exposure to potential synthetic opioids. 

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

10 paragraph (1) may be integrated into existing train11 ing under section 411(l) for U.S. Customs and Bor12 der Protection officers, agents, and other personnel. 

13 ‘‘(c) PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT AND

14 OPIOID RECEPTOR ANTAGONISTS.—Together with the 

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

16 Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection 

17 shall ensure the availability of personal protective equip18 ment and opioid receptor antagonists, including naloxone, 

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

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

21 exposure to synthetic opioids. 

22 ‘‘(d) OVERSIGHT.—To ensure effectiveness of the pol23 icy described in subsection (a)— 

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

25 Border Protection shall regularly monitor the effiVerDate Sep 11 2014 23:41 Dec 10, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4739.RFS H4739

kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
4 

HR 4739 RFS

1 cacy of the implementation of such policy and adjust 

2 protocols and procedures, as necessary; and 

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

4 shall audit compliance with the requirements of this 

5 section not less than once each year for the 5 years 

6 after the date of the enactment of this section.’’. 

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

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

9 amended by inserting after the item relating to section 

10 415 the following new item: 

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

Passed the House of Representatives December 9, 

2019. 

Attest: CHERYL L. JOHNSON, 

Clerk. 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS