IB 

Union Calendar No. 588 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5762 

[Report No. 115–755] 

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 

MAY 10, 2018 

Mr. LANGEVIN (for himself and Mr. KING of New York) introduced the 

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security 

JUNE 14, 2018 

Additional sponsor: Mr. MEADOWS

JUNE 14, 2018 

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 

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

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on May 10, 2018] 


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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. 


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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 2018’’. 

6 SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF JOINT TASK FORCE TO 

7 COUNTER OPIOIDS. 

8 Section 708 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 

9 U.S.C. 348) is amended— 

10 (1) in subsection (b)(2)(A), by adding at the end 

11 the following new clause: 

12 ‘‘(iv) Enhancing the integration of the 

13 Department’s border security operations to 

14 detect, interdict, disrupt, and prevent nar15 cotics, such as fentanyl and other synthetic 

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

17 and 

18 (2) in subsection (b)— 

19 (A) by redesignating paragraphs (9) 

20 through (13) as paragraphs (11) through (15), 

21 respectively; and 

22 (B) by inserting after paragraph (8) the fol23 lowing new paragraph: 

24 ‘‘(9) ENGAGEMENT WITH THE PRIVATE SEC25 TOR.— 


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

2 Task Force may engage with representatives 

3 from a private sector organization for the pur4 pose of carrying out the mission of such Joint 

5 Task Force, and any such engagement shall not 

6 be subject to the Federal Advisory Committee Act 

7 (5 U.S.C. App.). 

8 ‘‘(B) ASSISTANCE FROM PRIVATE SECTOR.— 

9 ‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding 

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

11 agreement of a private sector organization, 

12 may arrange for the temporary assignment 

13 of an employee of such organization to a 

14 Joint Task Force in accordance with this 

15 paragraph. 

16 ‘‘(ii) AGREEMENT.—The Secretary 

17 shall provide for a written agreement be18 tween the Department, the private sector or19 ganization concerned, and the employee con20 cerned regarding the terms and conditions 

21 of the assignment of such employee under 

22 this paragraph. 

23 ‘‘(C) NO FINANCIAL LIABILITY.—Any agree24 ment under this paragraph shall require the pri25 vate sector organization concerned to be responVerDate Sep 11 2014 21:35 Jun 14, 2018 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\H5762.RH H5762

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1 sible for all costs associated with the assignment 

2 of an employee under this paragraph. 

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

4 this paragraph may, at any time and for any 

5 reason, be terminated by the Secretary or the 

6 private sector organization concerned and shall 

7 be for a total period of not more than two years. 

8 ‘‘(10) COLLABORATION WITH TASK FORCES OUT9 SIDE DHS.—The Secretary may enter into a memo10 randum of understanding by which a Joint Task 

11 Force established under this section to carry out any 

12 purpose specified in subsection (b)(2)(A) and any 

13 other Federal, State, local, tribal, territorial, or inter14 national entity or task force established for a similar 

15 purpose may collaborate for the purpose of carrying 

16 out the mission of such Joint Task Force.’’. 

17 SEC. 3. NOTIFICATION; REPORTING. 

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

19 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland 

20 Security shall— 

21 (1) make a determination regarding whether to 

22 establish a Joint Task Force under section 708 of the 

23 Homeland Security Act of 2002 to carry out the pur24 pose specified in clause (iv) of subsection (b)(2)(A) of 

25 such section, as added by section 2 of this Act; and 


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1 (2) submit to the Committee on Homeland Secu2 rity of the House and the Committee on Homeland 

3 Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate 

4 written notification of such determination, including, 

5 if such determination is in the negative, information 

6 on the basis for such negative determination. 

7 (b) REPORTING.—If the Secretary of Homeland Secu8 rity establishes a Joint Task Force under section 708 of the 

9 Homeland Security Act of 2002 to carry out the purpose 

10 specified in clause (iv) of subsection (b)(2)(A) of such sec11 tion, as added by section 2 of this Act, the Secretary shall— 

12 (1) beginning with the first report required 

13 under subsection (b)(6)(F) of such section 708, include 

14 with respect to such a Joint Task Force— 

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

16 technology, or other resources needed in order to 

17 detect, interdict, disrupt, and prevent narcotics, 

18 such as fentanyl and other synthetic opioids, 

19 from entering the United States; and 

20 (B) a description of collaboration pursuant 

21 to subsection (b)(10) of such section (as added by 

22 section 2 of this Act) between such a Joint Task 

23 Force and any other Federal, State, local, tribal, 

24 territorial, or international task force, including 


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1 the United States Postal Service and the United 

2 States Postal Inspection Service; and 

3 (2) in each report required under subsection 

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

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

6 an assessment of the activities of such a Joint Task 

7 Force, including an evaluation of whether such Joint 

8 Task Force has enhanced integration of the Depart9 ment’s efforts, created any unique capabilities, or oth10 erwise enhanced operational effectiveness, coordina11 tion, or information sharing to detect, interdict, dis12 rupt, and prevent narcotics, such as fentanyl and 

13 other synthetic opioids, from entering the United 

14 States. 


amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with BILLS
Union Calendar No. 588 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5762 

[Report No. 115–755] 

A BILL 

To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to 

United States, and for other purposes. and other synthetic opioids, from entering the disrupt, and prevent narcotics, such as fentanyl border security operations to detect, interdict, tion of the Department of Homeland Security’s authorize a Joint Task Force to enhance integraJUNE 14, 2018 

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Comand ordered to be printed mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, 


amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with BILLS