[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3080 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 3080
To amend the Fentanyl Sanctions Act to address nitazene trafficking and
to impose sanctions with respect to entities of the People's Republic
of China and foreign governments engaged in or contributing to opioid
trafficking, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
October 30, 2025
Mr. Ricketts (for himself, Mr. Schmitt, and Mr. McCormick) introduced
the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee
on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Fentanyl Sanctions Act to address nitazene trafficking and
to impose sanctions with respect to entities of the People's Republic
of China and foreign governments engaged in or contributing to opioid
trafficking, and for other purposes.
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 ``Nitazene Sanctions Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) 2-Benzylbenzimidazole opioids (also known as nitazenes)
are a class of synthetic opioids first synthesized in the 1950s
that exhibit significant potency at the mu-opioid receptor,
with some substances exceeding the potency of fentanyl.
(2) Unlike opium, 2-benzylbenzimidazole opioids and other
synthetic opioids can be produced anywhere in the world using
precursor chemicals that are often uncontrolled and widely
available.
(3) Chemical manufacturing companies in the People's
Republic of China can synthesize 2-benzylbenzimidazole opioid
precursors at a scale using a comparatively easy 3- or 4-step
process.
(4) The Drug Enforcement Administration has warned that
Mexican cartels could use their existing relations with
suppliers based in the People's Republic of China to obtain 2-
benzylbenzimidazole opioids and funnel them into the United
States.
SEC. 3. STRATEGY TO COMBAT PRODUCTION AND FLOW OF NITAZENE.
(a) In General.--Not later than 120 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State and the Attorney General
shall jointly submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report
that includes--
(1) a description of the role of the People's Republic of
China, and of financial institutions in the People's Republic
of China, in the production of 2-benzylbenzimidazole opioid
precursors;
(2) a plan for steps to be taken by the United States
Government to work with the People's Republic of China to
reduce the production of such precursors in the People's
Republic of China; and
(3) a strategy to work with allies in Europe to combat the
flow of 2-benzylbenzimidazole opioids from the People's
Republic of China.
(b) Form.--The report required by subsection (a) shall be submitted
in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex.
(c) Appropriate Committees of Congress Defined.--In this section,
the term ``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
(1) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on
the Judiciary of the Senate; and
(2) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on
the Judiciary of the House of Representatives.
SEC. 4. INCLUSION OF NITAZENE IN FENTANYL SANCTIONS ACT.
Section 7203(8)(A) of the Fentanyl Sanctions Act (21 U.S.C.
2302(8)(A)) is amended--
(1) in clause (i), by striking ``controlled substances that
are synthetic opioids'' and inserting ``2-benzylbenzimidazole
opioids, other controlled substances that are synthetic
opioids,''; and
(2) in clause (ii), by striking ``controlled substances''
and inserting ``2-benzylbenzimidazole opioids and other
controlled substances''.
SEC. 5. DESIGNATION OF CERTAIN ENTITIES OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF
CHINA AS FOREIGN OPIOID TRAFFICKERS UNDER FENTANYL
SANCTIONS ACT.
(a) In General.--Section 7203(5) of the Fentanyl Sanctions Act (21
U.S.C. 2302(5)) is amended--
(1) by striking ``The term `foreign opioid trafficker'
means any foreign person'' and inserting the following: ``The
term `foreign opioid trafficker'--
``(A) means any foreign person'';
(2) by striking the period at the end and inserting ``;
and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(B) includes--
``(i) any entity of the People's Republic
of China that the President determines--
``(I) produces, manufactures,
distributes, sells, or knowingly
finances or transports any goods
described in clause (i) or (ii) of
paragraph (8)(A); and
``(II) fails to take credible
steps, including through implementation
of appropriate know-your-customer
procedures or through cooperation with
United States counternarcotics efforts,
to detect or prevent opioid
trafficking; and
``(ii) any senior official of the
Government of the People's Republic of China or
other political official of the People's
Republic of China that--
``(I) has significant regulatory or
law enforcement responsibilities with
respect to the activities of an entity
described in clause (i); and
``(II) aids and abets, including
through intentional inaction, opioid
trafficking.''.
(b) Assessment of Certain Agencies of the People's Republic of
China as Foreign Opioid Traffickers.--Section 7211(a)(1)(A) of the
Fentanyl Sanctions Act (21 U.S.C. 2311(a)(1)(A)) is amended by adding
at the end before the semicolon the following: ``, including whether
the heads of the National Narcotics Control Commission, the Ministry of
Public Security, the General Administration of Customs, and the
National Medical Products Administration of the Government of the
People's Republic of China are foreign opioid traffickers''.
SEC. 6. IMPOSITION OF SANCTIONS WITH RESPECT TO FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS
CONTRIBUTING TO OPIOID TRAFFICKING.
Section 7212 of the Fentanyl Sanctions Act (21 U.S.C. 2312) is
amended--
(1) by striking ``The President'' and inserting the
following:
``(a) Foreign Opioid Traffickers.--The President''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(b) Foreign Governments.--The President may impose one or more of
the sanctions described in section 7213 with respect to each political
subdivision, agency, or instrumentality of a foreign government,
including any financial institution owned or controlled by a foreign
government, that the President determines has knowingly on or after the
date of the enactment of the Nitazene Sanctions Act--
``(1) engaged in a significant activity or a significant
financial transaction that has materially contributed to opioid
trafficking;
``(2) provided support for industries involved in the
development of precursors for synthetic opioids; or
``(3) provided support for the transport of such
precursors.''.
SEC. 7. EXTENSION OF FENTANYL SANCTIONS ACT.
Section 7211(c) of the Fentanyl Sanctions Act (21 U.S.C. 2311(c))
is amended by striking ``5 years'' and inserting ``10 years''.
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