I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION H. R. 10459 
To establish the Joint Task Force to Counter the Illicit Synthetic Narcotics. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 17, 2024 
Mr. NEWHOUSE (for himself, Mr. AUCHINCLOSS, Mr. DUNN of Florida, Mr. 
KHANNA, Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota, Mr. TORRES of New York, 
Mrs. STEEL, Mr. MOOLENAAR, and Mr. KRISHNAMOORTHI) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, 
and in addition to the Committees on Financial Services, Foreign Affairs, 
and Intelligence (Permanent Select), for a period to be subsequently de-
termined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To establish the Joint Task Force to Counter the Illicit 
Synthetic Narcotics. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Joint Task Force to 
Counter Illicit Synthetic Narcotics Act of 2024’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
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(1) The United States is experiencing a crisis 
of substance abuse and addiction resulting in the 
deaths of hundreds of thousands of Americans. Most 
of these deaths involve some form of opioids. 
(2) There are many elements of Federal, State, 
territorial, Tribal, and local governments working to 
combat the opioid epidemic. 
(3) No central entity exists at the appropriate 
level whereby different agencies can share informa-
tion and coordinate efforts to combat the opioid cri-
sis. 
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF JOINT TASK FORCE TO 
COUNTER ILLICIT SYNTHETIC NARCOTICS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—There is established a Joint Task 
Force to Counter Illicit Synthetic Narcotics (hereby re-
ferred to as ‘‘JTF–ISN’’). 
(b) MEMBERSHIP.—The JTF–ISN shall include rep-
resentation from each of the following entities: 
(1) The Department of Justice including the— 
(A) Drug Enforcement Administration; 
(B) Federal Bureau of Investigation; and 
(C) Assistant U.S. Attorneys and Trial At-
torneys, as the Director deems appropriate. 
(2) The Department of the Treasury including 
the— 
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(1) The JTF–ISN shall be led by a Director 
who shall be appointed by the President, by and 
with the advice and consent of the Senate. 
(2) The Director shall report directly to the At-
torney General. 
(4) The Director shall be compensated at the 
rate of basic pay prescribed for level II of the Execu-
tive Schedule under section 5313 of title 5, United 
States Code. 
(d) REPORTING.— 
(1) The Director of the JTF–ISN shall report 
to the Attorney General on matters related to the 
budget, programs, and activities of the JTF–ISN, 
and to the President on the planning and progress 
of joint counter-illicit synthetic narcotics operations. 
(2) The Director shall submit a report, and 
upon request of the chairman or ranking member of 
any such committee, a briefing to the Committee on 
the Judiciary and the Committee on Homeland Se-
curity of the House of Representatives and the Com-
mittee on the Judiciary and the Committee on 
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the 
Senate— 
(A) not later than 6 months after the date 
of the enactment of this Act; and 
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(B) every 6 months thereafter. 
(3) Each report and requested briefing shall in-
clude— 
(A) a comprehensive plan covering the 2- 
year period after submission of the report— 
(i) a description of the goals of the 
JTF–ISN; 
(ii) description of areas of improve-
ment with respect to collaboration among 
the participating agencies; and 
(iii) an estimate of the funding and 
staff needed for the continued work of the 
JTF–ISN; 
(B) a statement of the budget priorities of 
the JTF–ISN for each year in that period; 
(C) a description of the efforts of the 
JTF–ISN to investigate and prosecute illicit 
synthetic narcotics trafficking crimes, including 
raids conducted, assets seized, assets forfeited 
and indictments brought and convictions; and 
(D) efforts of the JTF–ISN to address 
matters related to the role of the People’s Re-
public of China in the opioids crisis. 
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SEC. 4. PRIMARY MISSIONS OF JTF–ISN. 
The primary mission of the JTF–ISN shall be to di-
rect counter opioid and synthetic narcotics activities, in-
cluding disruption activities and associated investigations, 
and provide strategic coordination on related activities, in-
cluding but not limited to sanctions enforcement, con-
ducting joint operations, raids, and other tactical actions 
in coordination with Federal, State, territorial, Tribal, and 
local law enforcement agencies through memorandums of 
understanding. This support includes legal actions against 
traffickers and foreign entities, particularly in the People’s 
Republic of China, complicit in the opioid trade. 
SEC. 5. AUTHORITY AND LIMITATIONS. 
(a) AUTHORITY.—The JTF–ISN shall be vested with 
power and authority to— 
(1) investigate and prosecute violations of Fed-
eral law relating to the trafficking of illicit synthetic 
narcotics; related offenses, such as money laundering 
and other financial crimes, smuggling, and false 
statements; as well as any matters that arise or 
might arise directly from its investigations; 
(2) in the case of a prosecution relating to non- 
U.S. persons outside of the United States, the JTF– 
ISN shall bring the case either in the district where 
the crime was committed or in the district where the 
Drug Enforcement Administration is located; 
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(3) facilitate the sharing of information between 
JTF–ISN Members in a timely manner; 
(4) establish protocols for interagency referrals 
and procedures for referring cases to prosecuting 
and sanctions designating authorities as appropriate; 
(5) develop strategies to address the role of the 
People’s Republic of China in the illicit synthetic 
narcotics crisis; 
(6) work cooperatively with State, territorial, 
Tribal, and local law enforcement agencies to combat 
and prosecute trafficking of illicit synthetic nar-
cotics; 
(7) assess and improve existing methods of in-
vestigating and prosecuting illicit synthetic narcotics 
trafficking crimes; and 
(8) conduct direct operational activities, includ-
ing joint operations, raids, and other tactical ac-
tions, to disrupt illicit synthetic narcotics trafficking 
networks and bring offenders to justice. 
(b) LIMITATION.—The Director of the JTF–ISN may 
not direct the execution of operational activities outside 
the scope of counter-opioid efforts related to illicit syn-
thetic narcotics suppliers and their networks pursuant to 
the primary missions of the JTF–ISN. 
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SEC. 6. RESOLUTION OF DISPUTES. 
The Attorney General shall resolve disagreements be-
tween the JTF–ISN and the head of a department, agen-
cy, or element of the United States Government on des-
ignations, assignments, plans, or responsibilities under 
this section. The head of such a department, agency, or 
element may appeal the resolution of the disagreement by 
the Attorney General to the President. 
SEC. 7. INTERNAL STRUCTURE OF JTF–ISN. 
(a) INTELLIGENCE COORDINATION.—The Director of 
the JTF–ISN shall establish and maintain within the 
JTF–ISN an intelligence coordination element which shall 
have primary responsibility within the United States Gov-
ernment for analysis of illicit synthetic narcotics and re-
lated trafficking organizations from all sources of intel-
ligence, whether collected inside or outside the United 
States. 
(b) STRATEGIC OPERATIONAL PLANNING.—The Di-
rector of the JTF–ISN shall establish and maintain within 
the JTF–ISN a strategic operational planning element 
which shall provide strategic operational plans for counter- 
opioid operations conducted by the United States Govern-
ment. 
(1) Strategic operational planning shall include 
the mission, objectives to be achieved, tasks to be 
performed, interagency coordination of operational 
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