Bill Tackling Illegal Synthetic Drugs Heads to Biden's Desk

border crisis

The Senate passed the Preventing the Financing of Illegal Synthetic Drugs Act this week, which is a bipartisan bill first introduced by Texas Rep. Monica De La Cruz (R) in February of last year. The bill seeks to prevent the financing of illegal synthetic drugs. After passing both the House and the Senate, the bill is now on President Joe Biden's (D) desk for him to sign.

In a statement, Rep. De La Cruz thanked the Senate, specifically thanking Texas Senator John Cornyn (R) for introducing the companion legislation in the Senate. Urging President Biden to quickly sign the bill into law, Rep. De La Cruz added that "we must continue to fight tirelessly to get fentanyl off our streets."

"Border communities like those in Texas' 15th Congressional District are on the frontlines, seeing the drug trade's impact on our cities and towns.," the Texas Rep. commented. "Knowing how these narcotrafficking organizations conduct their financing and business models will increase our chances of defeating them and saving American lives."

"We want our communities to be strong and our families to thrive. This bill is a significant step in ending the deadly impact fentanyl has on our communities."

The bill directs the Comptroller General of the United States to study the illicit financing that fuels synthetic drug trafficking. The study will then provide Congress with an understanding of the business models of trafficking organizations, how they transport and hide their illicit gains, and what the U.S. Government must do to combat fentanyl money laundering.

Daniel Molina

Daniel Molina is a managing editor and legislative correspondent with a decade of experience covering the evolving political landscape of the American South and Southwest.