U.S. Representative Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09), the Ranking Member of the House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee, today praised the passage in the House of Representatives of H.R. 5788, the bipartisan Synthetic Trafficking and Overdose Prevention (STOP) Act of 2018. Sponsored by Rep. Mike Bishop (R-MI-08) and cosponsored by Rep. Pascrell, the STOP Act seeks to help the Postal Service and federal agencies catch synthetic opioids at ports of entry before they enter our country and devastate our communities.

“In 2016, 2,056 people lost their lives to the opioid scourge in my home state. That number may surpass 3,000 this year. Many synthetic opioids reach our homes through the mail, making them difficult to detect. Given the astronomical volume of international shipments the Postal Service processes, more data is needed to catch synthetic opioids at ports of entry,” said Rep. Pascrell. “This legislation will plug gaping loopholes exploited by drug traffickers. The STOP Act will ensure the Postal Service and our law enforcement partners have the tools they need to stem the flood of opioids into our cities and towns. At the same time, this legislation has been carefully tailored so that our USPS and Customs partners have adequate time and protections to bring this plan to fruition. They deserve no less.”

Many synthetic opioids make their way into the United States through the mail. Fentanyl, a deadly illicit synthetic opioid, comes primarily from China and is frequently sold online and shipped to the U.S. in minute quantities, making it hard to detect. Ports of entry are a critical juncture in the flow of these opioids.

The STOP ACT would require the Postal Service to transmit advance electronic data to Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) on international shipments into the United States. This information typically includes the name and address of the shipper and recipient, as well as the contents of the package. When CBP identifies shipments that may pose a risk, they can place a hold on the shipment and notify carriers that a package must be presented for examination. This data will help CBP identify and stop shipments of synthetic opioids coming from China and other countries around the world.

In May, Rep. Pascrell and Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ-06), the Ranking Member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, toured the New Jersey International Bulk Mail Center in Secaucus, New Jersey, where they met with officials of the Postal Service, the Food and Drug Administration, and CBP to discuss recent legislative efforts to combat the importation of illicit opioids into the United States.