WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. House of Representatives today passed the Stop Chinese Fentanyl Act, legislation introduced by Representatives Zach Nunn (IA-03), Andy Barr (KY-06), and Greg Murphy (NC-03) enabling the U.S. government to impose sanctions on Chinese individuals and organizations involved in the production, sale, financing, or transportation of synthetic opioids, including fentanyl. The bill passed the House by a vote of 407-4.
“Fentanyl is the leading cause of death for people my age down to my college daughter’s age,” said Rep. Nunn. “The Chinese Communist Party continues to turn a blind eye as its entities fuel the fentanyl crisis. I’m proud to pass this bill to hold bad actors accountable, whether they are across our border or across the globe.”
Fentanyl continues to be the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18 to 45. In 2023 alone, U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized over 20,000 pounds of fentanyl at our Southern Border—enough to kill more than 4.6 billion people. While the Chinese government formally banned fentanyl exports in 2019, Chinese entities remain the largest producers of the precursor chemicals used to manufacture fentanyl and other synthetic opioids.
“The Chinese Communist Party has played a key part in the deadly fentanyl crisis plaguing Kentucky and our entire country — from manufacturing fentanyl in China to laundering the products through the cartels and into the country,” said Congressman Barr. “President Trump is securing our border after the chaos of the last four years under Joe Biden and border Czar Kamala Harris. The STOP Chinese Fentanyl Act will help President Trump and his team clean up the border by exerting maximum financial pain on the Chinese producers of this deadly drug.”
The Stop Chinese Fentanyl Act updates the existing Fentanyl Sanctions Act by:
- Designating Chinese individuals and entities involved in fentanyl production or trafficking as foreign opioid traffickers;
- Enabling sanctions for those who fail to implement anti-money laundering protocols or “know-your-customer” safeguards;
- Expanding tools for U.S. law enforcement and international cooperation to disrupt supply chains.
The bill now awaits consideration in the U.S. Senate.
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