Title: Expressing that fentanyl is a weapon of mass destruction.
Policy area: Health

Summary:
This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that it is U.S. policy to recognize that
Finally, the resolution urges President Biden and the Department of Homeland Security to officially designate illicit fentanyl and analogues, including carfentanil, as a weapon of mass destruction.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1172 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1172

       Expressing that fentanyl is a weapon of mass destruction.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 13, 2022

Mr. Ryan submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
 Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on 
 Homeland Security, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
  Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
           within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
       Expressing that fentanyl is a weapon of mass destruction.

Whereas, in 2021, 107,622 people in the United States died as a result of 
        synthetic opioids, and synthetic opioids accounted for nearly 66 percent 
        of all opioid-involved deaths;
Whereas data shows illicit fentanyl is now the number one cause of death among 
        Americans between the ages of 18 and 45;
Whereas data shows in the past 2 years, deaths among teenage Americans due to 
        illicit fentanyl has more than tripled;
Whereas data shows that in the past 2 years, fentanyl poisoning deaths have 
        doubled as a whole in the United States, and deaths have more than 
        doubled in 30 States;
Whereas illicit fentanyl is being mass-produced in China and shipped overseas to 
        markets in Mexico, Canada, and the United States;
Whereas, in 2021, U.S. Customs and Border Protections seized 588 pounds of 
        illicit fentanyl which has increased by 1,066 percent from fiscal year 
        2020;
Whereas, in 2021, the Drug Enforcement Administration confiscated 20,400,000 
        fake prescription pills containing fentanyl, mainly produced by Mexico, 
        using chemicals sourced largely from China;
Whereas this amount of fentanyl seized is enough to provide a lethal dose to 
        every single American;
Whereas 1 kilogram of fentanyl has the ability to kill 500,000 people;
Whereas approximately 666,666 counterfeit pills can be manufactured from 1 
        kilogram of pure fentanyl;
Whereas carfentanil is a derivative of fentanyl and is approximately 10,000 
        times more potent than morphine and 20 to 30 times that of fentanyl;
Whereas carfentanil was used as a chemical weapon in the Moscow theater hostage 
        crisis to kill 150 Russians in 2002;
Whereas a 2022 report issued by the United States Commission on Combating 
        Synthetic Opioid Trafficking stated ``illicit synthetic opioids have the 
        effect of a slow-motion weapon of mass destruction in pill form'';
Whereas, in 2019, the Department of Homeland Security considered designating 
        fentanyl a weapon of mass destruction; and
Whereas section 2302 of title 50, United States Code, states that ``[t]he term 
        `weapon of mass destruction' means any weapon or device that is 
        intended, or has the capability, to cause death or serious bodily injury 
        to a significant number of people through the release, dissemination, or 
        impact of--
            ``(1) toxic or poisonous chemicals or their precursors;
            ``(2) a disease organism; or
            ``(3) radiation or radioactivity.'': Now, therefore be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that 
it is the policy of the United States to--
            (1) recognize that--
                    (A) the current approach to combating our country's 
                drug crisis is not sufficient;
                    (B) new and bold action is necessary to save lives;
                    (C) a weapon of mass destruction designation of 
                illicit fentanyl by the Federal Government would 
                empower the Government to go after international 
                trafficking syndicates and root out illicit 
                manufacturers and traffickers to take action to stop 
                fentanyl from reaching the border; and
                    (D) a weapon of mass destruction designation of 
                illicit fentanyl would not hinder the use of legal 
                fentanyl or stop ongoing recovery, treatment, and harm-
                reduction efforts to assist those residents of the 
                United States currently suffering from substance use 
                disorder; and
            (2) urge President Biden and the Department of Homeland 
        Security to officially designate illicit fentanyl and 
        analogues, including carfentanil, as a weapon of mass 
        destruction.
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