A bill to strengthen America’s response to fentanyl coming through the nation’s borders and ports of entry has been signed into law by President Joe Biden.
The Securing America’s Border Against Fentanyl Act is part of the Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act.
“As a former federal agent and CIA case officer who worked narcotics trafficking cases, I know that illicit fentanyl trafficking poses a grave threat to our communities. I am proud that this bill includes legislation I led to protect American lives by improving law enforcement’s ability to deter, detect, and interdict fentanyl shipments — because not doing so endangers the safety and security of Virginians,” said U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger (VA-07). “This annual defense bill also includes my bipartisan bill to help the United States combat efforts by repressive regimes to cut their citizens off from an unfiltered view of the outside world. These reforms will help keep Americans safe at home and further our national security priorities abroad.”
The annual defense authorization also includes:
- a 4.6 percent pay increase for U.S. service members and civilian personnel
- bill to protect global access to uncensored information in response to efforts by authoritarian and repressive governments to restrict Internet access
- provisions to strengthen oversight of U.S. assistance to Ukraine
- help track U.S. defense equipment sold to Taiwan and other Indo-Pacific allies