Michael Guest proposes bipartisan federal bill aimed at fentanyl trafficking, overdoses

Mississippi Republican Rep. Michael Guest, who represents the state's third district in Congress, reintroduced a bipartisan bill Tuesday targeted at fentanyl trafficking.

The END FENTANYL Act, which Guest also proposed last year, would require customs and border protection to update its manuals at least every three years on the prevention of drug and human smuggling. It also would require the commissioner of CBP to report any changes to the House and Senate committees on homeland security and the Senate government affairs committee.

In 2019, a study from the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office found that policies had not been updated in 20 years. Fentanyl is "50 to 100 times more potent than morphine," according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and fentanyl overdoses have become the leading cause of death for Americans between the ages of 18 and 45, according to another set of CDC data.

Joining Guest as cosponsors of the bill are three other Republicans and four Democrats. Rep. Mike Ezell, a Mississippi Republican from the state's fourth district, is a cosponsor. Rep. David Trone, D-MD, joined Guest in reintroducing the bill.

“The damage that has already been caused by fentanyl is irreparable. Overdoses caused by fentanyl is now the leading cause of death in Americans aged 18 to 45, but we can act to mitigate the continued devastation that the drug is causing in communities across our nation,” Guest said in a statement. “This bill is a strong step forward in our mission to save as many lives as possible from this deadly drug, and we must continue to work with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to stop the flow of fentanyl into our communities. I’m grateful for Congressman Trone and Senator Scott for their efforts towards this important goal.”

The bills is similar to one that passed the Senate last year by unanimous consent, but it did not reach the House floor before the end of that Congress. The bill will need approval in the House Homeland Security Committee, on which Guest serves as vice-chair, before it can reach the House floor.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Michael Guest files bill to address drug smuggling and fentanyl deaths