"U.S. House Approves Plan to Combat Fentanyl and Xylazine with Advanced Detection Technology"

Chamber
house

about 2 months ago - Politics

In the U.S. House of Representatives, a new plan to help stop dangerous drugs like fentanyl and xylazine from spreading was approved. This is part of a larger effort to protect people from these harmful substances. The plan focuses on giving the Department of Homeland Security better tools to find these drugs. This means they will be able to use smarter machines and technology to detect these drugs without needing to touch them a lot.

The goal is to use special gadgets, including portable ones, and smart technology like artificial intelligence to figure out if a substance is a harmful drug, even if it’s a new kind that isn't in any database yet. This makes it easier for law enforcement to stop these drugs from reaching people.

To make sure everything is done safely, the plan follows strict rules to ensure the tools and methods are safe, effective, and not too expensive. These rules come from expert groups who study the risks of using new technology.

The overall aim is to help protect communities by reducing the circulation of these dangerous drugs and supporting police and other organizations in their fight against drug problems across the U.S. The plan got enough votes in the House to move forward, meaning more focus will now be on stopping the spread of these drugs nationwide.

This is a plan to improve the U.S. government's ability to spot and recognize dangerous drugs like fentanyl and xylazine. The Homeland Security Department must work with the Drug Enforcement Administration to enhance tools for law enforcement to identify these drugs accurately. Here are the specifics:

  1. They need to create portable machines that can recognize drugs without much handling of them.
  2. Develop devices that separate drug mixtures to identify individual parts, which helps in identifying drugs accurately even if they are mixed with other substances.
  3. Use advanced machines and computer programs to predict if the substances might be dangerous new drugs or variations of current drugs.

The government also needs to ensure that the methods and tools they develop and use are up to date and safe. They should follow current guidelines and recommendations for using artificial intelligence in these processes.

Every effort will be guided by the latest threats identified in official government threat assessments to focus resources effectively.

This act ensures that agencies already handling drug detection tools are not restricted by the new guidelines.

405 votes

Yes

404

No

1

Not Voting

24

  1. Presented to President.
  2. Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  3. On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendments Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 404 - 1 (Roll no. 514). (text: CR H7335-7336)
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  4. At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
  5. DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on the motion to suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendments to H.R. 8663.
  6. Mr. Green (TN) moved that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendments. (consideration: CR H7335-7337, H7340-7341)
  7. Resolving differences -- House actions: On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendments Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 404 - 1 (Roll no. 514). (text: CR H7335-7336)
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  8. Message on Senate action sent to the House.
  9. Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Unanimous Consent.
  10. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.
  11. Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S7041)
  12. Engrossed Amendment Senate

    This is a plan to improve the U.S. government's ability to spot and recognize dangerous drugs like fentanyl and xylazine. The Homeland Security Department must work with the Drug Enforcement Administration to enhance tools for law enforcement to identify these drugs accurately. Here are the specifics:

    1. They need to create portable machines that can recognize drugs without much handling of them.
    2. Develop devices that separate drug mixtures to identify individual parts, which helps in identifying drugs accurately even if they are mixed with other substances.
    3. Use advanced machines and computer programs to predict if the substances might be dangerous new drugs or variations of current drugs.

    The government also needs to ensure that the methods and tools they develop and use are up to date and safe. They should follow current guidelines and recommendations for using artificial intelligence in these processes.

    Every effort will be guided by the latest threats identified in official government threat assessments to focus resources effectively.

    This act ensures that agencies already handling drug detection tools are not restricted by the new guidelines.

  13. Passed Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Unanimous Consent. (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR S7041)
  14. Referred in Senate

    This is a law that helps the Science and Technology Directorate in the Department of Homeland Security to better find and stop very harmful drugs like fentanyl and xylazine. The main goal is to make their equipment better at detecting these drugs, even when they are mixed in small amounts with other substances.

    To do this, the law changes an older rule, the Homeland Security Act of 2002, to include new tasks. Now, they need to do more research and create better tools that can:

    • Easily detect drugs without having to touch them.
    • Break down complex mixes of drugs to find out exactly what’s in them.
    • Use computer technologies, like machine learning, to guess if unknown substances are dangerous drugs.

    Also, the law says that when working on this project, they must use the latest advice and standards for safety, especially from places like the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

    By doing all these, the aim is to make it easier and safer for police forces across the country to find and deal with dangerous drugs on the streets.

  15. Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
  16. Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  17. On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H5064)
  18. Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H5064)
  19. DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 8663.
  20. Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5064-5065)
  21. Engrossed in House

    This is a law designed to improve how we find and stop drugs, particularly fentanyl and xylazine, before they cause harm. The main goal is to help the Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology Directorate create tools to spot, pinpoint, and interfere with these drugs, even when they are hidden in tiny amounts.

    The plan involves adding more categories to existing laws so that the Department can do research and development. They will create portable tools that can detect drugs without touching them and technologies that can handle and identify complex drug mixtures. These tools might use advanced computing, like artificial intelligence, to predict unknown or new drug types.

    To make sure they're doing it right, they will follow specific rules and guidelines, especially those about using artificial intelligence responsibly. They will also consider the most up-to-date information on drug threats to guide their research and priorities.

  22. Reported in House

    This is a bill that requires the Science and Technology Directorate of the Department of Homeland Security to develop better tools for finding and identifying illegal drugs, even when they are mixed in very small amounts with other substances. The main focus is on harmful drugs like fentanyl and xylazine, which are very dangerous even in tiny quantities.

    The bill changes existing laws to make sure new technology is used to help police and other agencies more effectively identify these drugs. This includes using portable devices that can detect drugs without needing to physically handle them, technologies that can separate drugs from other substances they are mixed with, and artificial intelligence to help tell if a substance is an illegal drug or something new that isn’t yet known.

    The bill also outlines that the new technologies must be safe, effective, and efficient. It states that the research and technology developed should follow the latest safety guidelines from important technology standards groups. This is all done to help stop the spread of dangerous drugs and protect people from their effects.

  23. Introduced in House

    This is a document from the U.S. Government that deals with issues of drug detection, focusing on substances like fentanyl and xylazine. The bill aims to help the Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology Directorate improve its ability to find, recognize, and handle drugs even when they are mixed in very low amounts with other substances.

    The bill outlines several important points:

    1. The development of portable equipment that can spot and identify drugs without needing to physically handle them.
    2. The creation of new technology that can break down mixes of substances. This will allow for easier identification of different drug components, especially when drugs are found with other substances used to dilute them.
    3. The use of advanced technologies like machine learning and artificial intelligence to determine if substances are illegal drugs or new psychoactive substances that aren’t yet recognized in their system.

    Additionally, to ensure these developments are effective and safe, the work will be guided by the latest guidelines for artificial intelligence risk management, referencing standards by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. It also emphasizes setting priorities based on latest reports and threats identified by law enforcement, such as reports by the Drug Enforcement Administration.

    In short, this bill directs a government agency to do better research and development to fight drug problems more effectively with the support of new technologies and updated standards.