Cornyn Announces Bill to Combat Fentanyl Trafficking Signed into Law

AUSTIN — A bill authored and sponsored by Sen. John Cornyn and Sen. Catherine Masto to stop the funding of illegal synthetic drugs has been signed into law.

Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) issued a statement Monday after the Preventing the Financing of Illegal Synthetic Drugs Act, a bill he co-sponsored with Sen. Masto (D-NV), was signed into law.

The bill was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives last year, co-sponsored by Rep. Monica Se La Cruz. (TX-15)

“Fentanyl is an unprecedented crisis that continues to kill innocent children and adults in our country, and we must fight it at every level,” said Senator Cornyn. “This bill will help law enforcement better understand the illicit financing and business models of drug trafficking organizations, increasing our chances of defeating them and saving American lives.”

In 2023, more than 107,000 people died from drug overdoses. Nearly 75,000 of these deaths were from synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.

“The safety of Nevadans is one of my top priorities and I am proud to have passed my bill to help us crack down on drug traffickers who distribute dangerous synthetic drugs like fentanyl into our communities,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “This bill will improve our understanding of how drug cartels finance their operations to better prevent fentanyl money laundering and crack down on drug trafficking.”

The bill would direct the U.S. Comptroller General to investigate the illicit financing of the synthetic drug trade and provide information about its business model. It would also require the government to specify what it can do to prevent Congress from funding it within a year.