With more than 10,400 pounds of fentanyl seized during fiscal year 2021 thus far, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers need protections from such potentially lethal substances encountered on the job, according to U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce (R-OH).
Toward that goal, Rep. Joyce on Sept. 17 sponsored the bipartisan Prevent Exposure to Narcotics and Toxics (PREVENT) Act of 2021, H.R. 5274, with original cosponsor U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX).
“As the crisis at the southern border continues to spiral out of control, so does the flow of deadly drugs into the United States,” Rep. Joyce said. “Thankfully, the vigilance of our CBP officers has prevented nearly 10,000 pounds of fentanyl from flooding into American communities.”
If enacted, H.R. 5274 would amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to provide training for CBP personnel on the use of containment devices to prevent secondary exposure to fentanyl and other potentially lethal substances, according to the text of the bill.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG) in 2019 released a report that found CBP officers handling fentanyl were at risk. The drug also was not being stored correctly and some CBP facilities did not have naloxone in case of an accidental exposure, according to the report.
CBP officers can be exposed to such illicit drugs via inhalation, ingestion, skin contact, contact with needles, or mucous membrane contact via the nose, eyes and mouth, according to OIG.
“It’s critical that these men and women have the tools and training necessary to do their jobs as safely as possible amid this record-breaking surge of drug trafficking,” said Rep. Joyce. “I’m proud to introduce the PREVENT Act alongside Congressman Cuellar and will continue to do everything in my power to support our CBP officers as they work to defend and maintain our borders.”
Specifically, H.R. 5274 would require the CBP commissioner to issue containment devices to CBP personnel and provide training on their use, Rep. Joyce’s office said.