Securing the Border for Public Health Act of 2023

Subjects: Health, Border security and unlawful immigration, Customs enforcement, Drug trafficking and controlled substances, Infectious and parasitic diseases, Trade restrictions

Summary:  <p><strong>Securing the Border for Public Health Act of 2023</strong></p> <p>This bill authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to restrict migration and imports from foreign countries to prevent the introduction of illicit drugs into the United States.</p> <p>Current law authorizes HHS to restrict migration and imports from foreign countries to prevent the introduction of communicable diseases. Under this bill, HHS may also restrict migration and imports from a country if HHS determines that introduction of certain controlled substances (e.g., opiates, stimulants, or fentanyl-related substances) from that country poses a risk to public health. HHS must consult with the Department of Justice in making the determination.</p>

<html><body><pre>[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 801 Introduced in House (IH)]

&lt;DOC&gt;






118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 801

  To amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to provide for 
suspension of entries and imports from designated countries to prevent 
 the spread of communicable diseases and import into the United States 
                   of certain controlled substances.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            February 2, 2023

Mrs. Lesko (for herself and Mrs. Miller-Meeks) introduced the following 
    bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to provide for 
suspension of entries and imports from designated countries to prevent 
 the spread of communicable diseases and import into the United States 
                   of certain controlled substances.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Securing the Border for Public 
Health Act of 2023''.

SEC. 2. SUSPENSION OF ENTRIES AND IMPORTS FROM DESIGNATED COUNTRIES TO 
              PREVENT SPREAD OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES AND IMPORT OF 
              CERTAIN CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES.

    Section 362 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 265) is 
amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 362. SUSPENSION OF ENTRIES AND IMPORTS FROM DESIGNATED COUNTRIES 
              TO PREVENT SPREAD OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES AND IMPORT OF 
              CERTAIN CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES.

    ``(a) In General.--Whenever the Secretary makes a determination 
described in subsection (b) with respect to a country, the Secretary, 
by regulation, shall have the power to prohibit, in whole or in part, 
for a period of time determined to be necessary by the Secretary, the 
introduction of persons and property from such countries designated by 
the Secretary in order to avert the danger described in such 
subsection.
    ``(b) Determination.--A determination described in this subsection 
is a determination by the Secretary that, by reason of the existence of 
any communicable disease or, after consultation with the Attorney 
General, certain controlled substances in a foreign country--
            ``(1) there is serious danger of the introduction of such 
        disease or substances into the United States; and
            ``(2) such danger is so increased by the introduction of 
        persons or property from such country that a suspension of the 
        right to introduce such persons and property is required in the 
        interest of the public health.
    ``(c) Definition.--In this section, the term `certain controlled 
substance' means--
            ``(1) a narcotic drug as defined in section 1300.01 of 
        title 21, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor 
        regulations);
            ``(2) an opiate as described in section 1308.11(b) or 
        1308.12(c) of such title (or successor regulations);
            ``(3) an opium derivative as described in section 
        1308.11(c) of such title (or successor regulations);
            ``(4) a stimulant as described in section 1308.11(f) or 
        1308.12(d) of such title (or successor regulations); and
            ``(5) a fentanyl-related substance as described in section 
        1308.11(h) of such title (or successor regulations).''.
                                 &lt;all&gt;
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