By Hank Russell
A bill introduced by U.S. Representative Nick LaLota (R-Rocky Point) that he says would fight the scourge of fentanyl and xylazine has just become law.
President Joe Biden recently signed into law the Detection Equipment and Technology Evaluation to Counter the Threat of (DETECT) Fentanyl and Xylazine Act after it passed both the House and Senate. LaLota, who is also a member of the Homeland Security Committee, said this legislation empowers law enforcement with research, information, and technologies to find and eliminate dangerous drugs infiltrating America’s communities.
As previously reported in Long Island Life & Politics, LaLota introduced the bill on June 7. One week later, the Homeland Security Committee passed the bill.
On December 12, the Senate passed its version of the Act. The house accepted it and Biden signed into law on December 23.
The DETECT Act requires the DHS’ Science and Technology Directorate to develop greater capacity to detect, identify and disrupt illicit drugs in very low concentrations. The directorate would be authorized to improve the safety, effectiveness and efficiency of drug detection equipment and reference libraries used by law enforcement agencies at all levels. This means detecting levels of the drug without the need to handle it, developing equipment that can detect low concentrations of drugs mixed with a high level of cutting agents and creating machine learning and artificial intelligence technologies and other techniques to determine whether or not the drug appears in the current reference libraries.
LaLota noted that the DETECT Act received bipartisanship support with a 404-1 vote in the House and the two co-sponsors — Luis Correa of California and Donald Davis of North Carolina — are Democrats.
“The passage of my bipartisan DETECT Fentanyl and Xylazine Act, by both the House and Senate, is a critical step in combating the devastating epidemic of illegal narcotics flooding into our country, tearing apart families and communities,” said LaLota. “This legislation equips our dedicated Law Enforcement officers with the tools they need to fight these deadly drugs and protect American lives. I’m proud to see this bill advance to the President’s desk and urge its swift enactment into law. Now is the time to act decisively, prioritize public safety, and take bold steps to prevent further tragic and unnecessary loss of life.”