S 548

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IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

February 12, 2025

Mr. Scott of Florida (for himself and Mr. Padilla) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

A BILL

To amend the Office of National Drug Control Policy Reauthorization Act of 1998 to require a Caribbean border counternarcotics strategy, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the “Caribbean Border Counternarcotics Strategy Act”.

SEC. 2. CARIBBEAN BORDER COUNTERNARCOTICS STRATEGY ACT.

(a) Definitions.—Section 702 of the Office of National Drug Control Policy Reauthorization Act of 1998 (21 U.S.C. 1701) is amended—

(1) by redesignating paragraphs (15) through (17) as paragraphs (16) through (18), respectively;

(2) by inserting after paragraph (14) the following:

“(15) State.—The term ‘State’ means each of the several States of the United States, the District of Columbia, and each territory or possession of the United States.”;

(3) by amending paragraph (18), as redesignated—

(A) by redesignating subparagraphs (G) and (H) as subparagraphs (H) and (I), respectively; and

(B) by inserting after subparagraph (F) the following:

“(G) activities to map, track, dismantle, and disrupt the financial networks of drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations involved in the manufacture and trafficking of drugs in the United States and in foreign countries;”; and

(4) by adding at the end the following:

“(19) United states.—The term ‘United States’, when used in a geographical sense, means all of the States, the District of Columbia, and the territories and possessions of the United States, and any waters within the jurisdiction of the United States.”.

(b) Requirement for Caribbean Border Counternarcotics Strategy.— Section 706(c)(3) of the Office of National Drug Control Policy Reauthorization Act of 1998 (21 U.S.C. 1705(c)(3)) is amended by adding at the end the following:

“(D) Requirement for caribbean border counternarcotics strategy.—

“(i) Purposes.—The Caribbean Border Counternarcotics Strategy shall—

“(I) set forth the strategy of the Federal Government for preventing the illegal trafficking of drugs through the Caribbean region into the United States, including through ports of entry, between ports of entry, and across air and maritime approaches;

“(II) describe the specific roles and responsibilities of each relevant National Drug Control Program agency for implementing such strategy;

“(III) identify the specific resources required to enable the relevant National Drug Control Program agencies to implement such strategy; and

“(IV) be designed to promote, and not to hinder, legitimate trade and travel.

“(ii) Specific content related to puerto rico and the united states virgin islands.—The Caribbean Border Counternarcotics Strategy shall include—

“(I) a strategy to prevent the illegal trafficking of drugs to or through Puerto Rico or the United States Virgin Islands, including measures to substantially reduce drug- related violent crime on such islands; and

“(II) recommendations for additional assistance or authorities, if any, needed by Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies relating to the strategy, including an evaluation of Federal technical and financial assistance, infrastructure capacity building, and interoperability deficiencies.”. <all>