![Senator Sherrod Brown poses a question to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack during Secretary Vilsack’s testimony on “Healthy Food Initiatives, Local Production and Nutrition,” before the Senate Agriculture Committee on Wednesday, March 7, 2012 in Washington, D.C. [Bob Nichols / USDA]](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/dfdb58b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2047x1360+0+0/resize/840x558!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fimages%2Fnews%2Fnpr%2F2019%2F04%2FSherrodBrownFlickr.jpg)
Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and a bipartisan group of Senators want sanctions on the table to ensure the China adequately regulates fentanyl. The Chinese government agreed earlier this week to classify fentanyl and its variants as controlled substances.
The measure would set the stage for economic sanctions against pharmaceutical and chemical companies that provide synthetic opioids to drug traffickers. Lawmakers say if China sticks with its commitment to regulate manufacturers, there won’t be a problem.
But Brown says that too often, the country’s leaders say one thing and do another.
“They only live up to those promises if they have to. This legislation will mean they have to,” Brown said. “That’s why we need these tough but flexible new tools to go after anyone involved in manufacturing or transporting or selling theses illicit drugs that kill far too many Americans.”
The proposal’s backers come from both sides of the aisle and from states like Florida, Pennsylvania and New Hampshire that have faced the brunt of the U.S. opioid crisis.
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) dismissed any suggestion that the task of stamping out illicit production and distribution is too big for the Chinese government. Citing internet censorship and Uighur Muslim concentration camps, he noted, “They’re pretty good at cracking down when they want to crack down.”
Brown says their measure will give more power to the United States to help stem the opioid epidemic.
“Our bill will give the administration new sanction tools to help combat the flood of illicit fentanyl coming in from China and Mexico," Brown said.
In addition to requiring sanctions on companies that knowingly supply synthetic opioids, the measure would provide funding for fight international drug trafficking and establish a commission to monitor the flow of drugs.
Although Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) has been outspoken against China's role in the shipment of fentanyl to the U.S., he has not yet joined the group pushing for this resolution. Portman pushed for the passage of the "STOP Act," which blocks opioids like fentanyl and carfentanil from being shipped through the U.S. Postal Service.
Portman recently sent a letter to USPS and Customs and Border Protection criticizing the agencies for failing to obtain information about foreign packages as required by the "STOP Act." Copyright 2019 WOSU 89.7 NPR News. To see more, visit WOSU 89.7 NPR News.