On July 13, a bipartisan bill sponsored by U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce (R-OH) that would provide secondary protection to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents from lethal drugs like fentanyl received unanimous approval from the U.S. House of Representatives with a 429-0 vote.
The Prevent Exposure to Narcotics and Toxics (PREVENT) Act, H.R. 5274, which Rep. Joyce introduced in September 2021 with lead original cosponsor U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX), advanced to the U.S. Senate on July 14 and was referred to the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee for consideration.
“I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for supporting my bill to protect Border Patrol agents from fentanyl and urge the Senate to act quickly so those working to defend and maintain our borders can do their jobs as safely as possible,” Rep. Joyce said.
If enacted, H.R. 5274 would require the CBP Commissioner to issue containment devices to CBP personnel and provide training on their use to prevent secondary exposure to such drugs, according to a bill summary provided by Rep. Joyce’s office, which noted that containment devices provide more protection beyond PPE by creating a controlled, negative pressure environment to further reduce exposure to hazardous substances.
“The crisis at our southern border has exploded to unprecedented levels, and with it, we’ve seen a shocking rise in the amount of fentanyl flowing into the United States,” said Rep. Joyce. “While those of us in Congress differ on how we believe the border crisis should be solved, last night’s vote showed that we can all agree that the men and women working to stop this lethal drug from reaching our communities deserve to be protected on the job.”