I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1734 
To require coordinated National Institute of Standards and Technology 
science and research activities regarding illicit drugs containing xylazine, 
novel synthetic opioids, and other substances of concern, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 23, 2023 
Mr. COLLINS (for himself, Ms. CARAVEO, Mr. LUCAS, Ms. LOFGREN, Mr. 
CRAWFORD, Mrs. FOUSHEE, Mr. OBERNOLTE, Mrs. MCCLELLAN, Mr. 
KEAN of New Jersey, Ms. ROSS, Mr. MIKE GARCIA of California, Mr. 
MULLIN, Ms. TENNEY, Mr. SORENSEN, Mr. WILLIAMS of New York, Mr. 
TRONE, Mr. WEBER of Texas, Mr. BABIN, and Mr. STRONG) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, 
and Technology 
A BILL 
To require coordinated National Institute of Standards and 
Technology science and research activities regarding il-
licit drugs containing xylazine, novel synthetic opioids, 
and other substances of concern, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Testing, Rapid Anal-
ysis, and Narcotic Quality Research Act’’ or the ‘‘TRANQ 
Research Act’’. 
SEC. 2. XYLAZINE DETECTION AND ANALYSIS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall— 
(1) support NIST intramural basic measure-
ment science and research to advance— 
(A) analytical methods to identify, under-
stand, differentiate, and categorize illicit drugs 
containing xylazine, novel synthetic opioids, or 
other emerging substances of concern; 
(B) measurement technologies to shorten 
analysis timelines and enhance narcotic and 
opioid detection and analysis capabilities in il-
licit drugs; 
(C) new data tools, techniques, and proc-
esses to identify and publicly disclose relevant 
information concerning illicit drugs containing 
xylazine, novel synthetic opioids, or other 
emerging substances of concern; and 
(D) all other areas determined by the Di-
rector to be critical to the development and de-
ployment of technologies to measure and ana-
lyze the presence of xylazine, novel synthetic 
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opioids, and other emerging substances of con-
cern in illicit drugs; 
(2) support activities to inform and expand the 
development of near-real time spectrometry capabili-
ties regarding xylazine, novel synthetic opioids, and 
other emerging compounds in illicit drugs; 
(3) convene the private sector, institutions of 
higher education, nonprofit organizations, Federal 
laboratories, and other Federal agencies engaged in 
the analysis of illicit drugs to develop coordinated 
strategies and voluntary best practices for the safe 
handling, transport, and analysis of illicit drugs con-
taining xylazine, novel synthetic opioids, or other 
emerging substances of concern; 
(4) establish or expand collaborative partner-
ships or consortia with other government agencies 
engaged in counternarcotic research and develop-
ment, institutions of higher education, Federal lab-
oratories, and the private sector to enhance narcotic 
and opioid detection and analysis capabilities regard-
ing xylazine, novel synthetic opioids, and other 
emerging substances of concern in illicit drugs; and 
(5) provide opportunities for graduate and post-
graduate research on the detection and identification 
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of xylazine, novel synthetic opioids, and other emerg-
ing substances of concern in illicit drugs. 
(b) CONTROLS.—In carrying out activities authorized 
under this section, the Director shall ensure proper secu-
rity controls are implemented to protect sensitive informa-
tion, as appropriate. 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) DIRECTOR.—The term ‘‘Director’’ means 
the Director of the National Institute of Standards 
and Technology. 
(2) FEDERAL LABORATORY.—The term ‘‘Fed-
eral laboratory’’ has the meaning given such term in 
section 4 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Inno-
vation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3703). 
(3) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The 
term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ has the 
meaning given such term in section 101 of the High-
er Education Act of 1965 (19 U.S.C. 1001). 
(4) NIST.—The term ‘‘NIST’’ means the Na-
tional Institute of Standards and Technology. 
(5) NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATION.—The term 
‘‘nonprofit organization’’ means an organization de-
scribed in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue 
Code of 1986 and exempt from tax under section 
501(a) of such code. 
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(6) XYLAZINE.—The term ‘‘xylazine’’ means 
the nonopioid tranquilizer methyl benzene compound 
frequently used in veterinary medicine as an emetic 
and sedative with analgesic and muscle relaxant 
properties. 
Æ 
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