I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3722 

To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to authorize a Joint Task 

Force to enhance integration of the Department of Homeland Security’s 

border security operations to detect, interdict, disrupt, and prevent narcotics, such as fentanyl and other synthetic opioids, from entering the 

United States, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 11, 2019 

Mr. LANGEVIN (for himself, Mr. KING of New York, Mr. ROSE of New York, 

and Mr. MCCAUL) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Homeland Security 

A BILL 

To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to authorize 

a Joint Task Force to enhance integration of the Department of Homeland Security’s border security operations 

to detect, interdict, disrupt, and prevent narcotics, such 

as fentanyl and other synthetic opioids, from entering 

the United States, 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 ‘‘Joint Task Force to 

5 Combat Opioid Trafficking Act of 2019’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF JOINT TASK FORCE TO 

2 COUNTER OPIOIDS. 

3 Subsection (b) of section 708 of the Homeland Secu4 rity Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 348) is amended— 

5 (1) in paragraph (2)(A), by adding at the end 

6 the following new clause: 

7 ‘‘(iv) Enhancing the integration of the 

8 Department’s border security operations to 

9 detect, interdict, disrupt, and prevent nar10 cotics, such as fentanyl and other synthetic 

11 opioids, from entering the United States.’’; 

12 (2) by redesignating paragraphs (9) through 

13 (13) as paragraphs (11) through (15), respectively; 

14 and 

15 (3) by inserting after paragraph (8) the fol16 lowing new paragraphs: 

17 ‘‘(9) ENGAGEMENT WITH THE PRIVATE SEC18 TOR.— 

19 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Director of a 

20 Joint Task Force may engage with representa21 tives from a private sector organization for the 

22 purpose of carrying out the mission of such 

23 Joint Task Force, and any such engagement 

24 shall not be subject to the Federal Advisory 

25 Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.). 


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1 ‘‘(B) ASSISTANCE FROM PRIVATE SEC2 TOR.— 

3 ‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding 

4 subsection (b)(1), the Secretary, with the 

5 agreement of a private sector organization, 

6 may arrange for the temporary assignment 

7 of an employee of such organization to a 

8 Joint Task Force in accordance with this 

9 paragraph. 

10 ‘‘(ii) AGREEMENT.—The Secretary 

11 shall provide for a written agreement be12 tween the Department, the private sector 

13 organization concerned, and the employee 

14 concerned regarding the terms and condi15 tions of the assignment of such employee 

16 under this paragraph. 

17 ‘‘(C) NO FINANCIAL LIABILITY.—Any 

18 agreement under this paragraph shall require 

19 the private sector organization concerned to be 

20 responsible for all costs associated with the as21 signment of an employee under this paragraph. 

22 ‘‘(D) DURATION.—An assignment under 

23 this paragraph may, at any time and for any 

24 reason, be terminated by the Secretary or the 

25 private sector organization concerned and shall 


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1 be for a total period of not more than two 

2 years. 

3 ‘‘(10) COLLABORATION WITH TASK FORCES

4 OUTSIDE DHS.—The Secretary may enter into a 

5 memorandum of understanding by which a Joint 

6 Task Force established under this section to carry 

7 out any purpose specified in paragraph (2)(A) and 

8 any other Federal, State, local, Tribal, territorial, or 

9 international entity or task force established for a 

10 similar purpose may collaborate for the purpose of 

11 carrying out the mission of such Joint Task Force.’’. 

12 SEC. 3. NOTIFICATION; REPORTING. 

13 (a) NOTIFICATION.—Not later than 90 days after the 

14 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Home15 land Security shall— 

16 (1) make a determination regarding whether to 

17 establish a Joint Task Force under section 708 of 

18 the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to carry out the 

19 purpose specified in clause (iv) of subsection 

20 (b)(2)(A) of such section, as added by section 2 of 

21 this Act; and 

22 (2) submit to the Committee on Homeland Se23 curity of the House of Representatives and the Com24 mittee on Homeland Security and Governmental Af25 fairs of the Senate written notification of such deterVerDate Sep 11 2014 21:22 Jul 12, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3722.IH H3722

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1 mination, including, if such determination is in the 

2 negative, information on the basis for such negative 

3 determination. 

4 (b) REPORTING.—If the Secretary of Homeland Se5 curity establishes a Joint Task Force under section 708 

6 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to carry out the 

7 purpose specified in clause (iv) of subsection (b)(2)(A) of 

8 such section, as added by section 2 of this Act, the Sec9 retary shall— 

10 (1) beginning with the first report required 

11 under subsection (b)(6)(F) of such section 708, in12 clude with respect to such a Joint Task Force— 

13 (A) a gap analysis of funding, personnel, 

14 technology, or other resources needed in order 

15 to detect, interdict, disrupt, and prevent nar16 cotics, such as fentanyl and other synthetic 

17 opioids, from entering the United States; and 

18 (B) a description of collaboration pursuant 

19 to subsection (b)(10) of such section (as added 

20 by section 2 of this Act) between such a Joint 

21 Task Force and any other Federal, State, local, 

22 Tribal, territorial, or international task force, 

23 including the United States Postal Service and 

24 the United States Postal Inspection Service; 

25 and 


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1 (2) in each review required under subsection 

2 (b)(11)(C) of section 708 of the Homeland Security 

3 Act of 2002, as redesignated by section 2 of this 

4 Act, an assessment of the activities of such a Joint 

5 Task Force, including an evaluation of whether such 

6 Joint Task Force has enhanced integration of the 

7 Department’s efforts, created any unique capabili8 ties, or otherwise enhanced operational effectiveness, 

9 coordination, or information sharing to detect, inter10 dict, disrupt, and prevent narcotics, such as fentanyl 

11 and other synthetic opioids, from entering the 

12 United States. 

Æ 


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