▶ 0:15:32For an opening statement. Today's our communities, specifically targeting the growing threat posed by pill presses. These bills work together to create a regulatory framework that allows dea to conduct oversight of a closed system of distribution for pill presses and their critical parts.
▶ 0:15:52Just like we have for controlled substances, this system ensures good actors are able to utilize pill presses for legitimate intended uses, while giving dea the tools to monitor suspicious orders and prevent bad actors from diverting pill presses for the illicit production of counterfeit pills. H.r. 5880.
▶ 0:16:15The fight illicit pill presses act is led by representative hageman from wyoming and would establish requirements for serial numbers, record keeping and transaction reporting for pill presses and their critical parts. The preventing rogue equipment for synthetic substances act, press act h.r. 7184, is led by representative mcdowell from north carolina. It would criminalize the import importation of pill press equipment with the intent to illicitly produce a controlled substance. H.r. 8005.
▶ 0:16:43The stop pills that kill act is led by representative evans from colorado. This legislation would apply enhanced criminal penalties to those who engage in the illicit manufacture of fentanyl, fentanyl analogs, or fentanyl related substances.
▶ 0:16:58It would also direct the dea to establish, implement and implement a comprehensive plan to address the threat of counterfeit pills that contain fentanyl, methamphetamine, or any other illicit synthetic substance. I look forward to continuing the work on these policies and bringing them to the full committee. I now recognize the ranking member, miss degette, for her five minute opening statement. Speaker 2: thank you so much, Mr. chairman.
▶ 0:17:25Uh, you know, we all want to curb the spread of dangerous illicit drugs, but I'm concerned that these bills fall short of meaningfully improving law enforcement efforts and could further our nation's addiction to criminalization. At best, I think these bills need work at. Um, I think we need to better consider practical concerns. And at the worst, I think these bills just make illegal conduct more illegal. I'm not sure the bills will help.
▶ 0:17:53So I want to talk briefly about something that I think would work. And that's bipartisan common sense legislation that congresswoman miller-meeks and I introduced yesterday. The cure hepatitis c act paves the way for our country to eliminate hepatitis c as a major health threat. It's a gem of an opportunity to lower costs and save lives.
▶ 0:18:18Highly effective antiviral treatments for this debilitating disease have been around since 2013, and they care more than 95% of cases without significant side effects. But even so, over 4 million people in the U.S. now have hepatitis c. Left untreated, this disease leads to a lifetime of chronic health issues and even death. Development of a cure was one of the most remarkable medical achievements of our lifetime.
▶ 0:18:48But still, more than a decade after initial approval, tens of thousands of americans die of hepatitis c every year. That's because people with the disease don't always feel sick and know they're infected, which complicates diagnosis. And because the affected population is so disproportionately underserved already, um, sometimes they're in prison, for example, they're not consistently engaged with the health care system.
▶ 0:19:15The cost of antiviral therapies is also cost prohibitive for many. And a standard regimen can cost tens of thousands of dollars if you don't have insurance. This bill would close these access gaps and put life saving therapeutics in the hands of those who need it. By taking a pilot program that was pioneered by louisiana nationwide, allowing states to partner with manufacturers to tailor treatment to different priority populations.
▶ 0:19:45And so, in short, when we pass this bill, it will save thousands of lives. It'll also save money in the health care system by reducing spending on chronic disease management, which can include expensive treatments for cirrhosis, liver cancer, and liver transplantation. A preliminary cbo estimate of this policy found, for example, it would save $6.6 billion.
▶ 0:20:09I'm so happy to have worked on this bill with my colleague and our committee member from iowa and also representatives, hank johnson and don bacon, as well as our center counter senate counterparts, senators cassidy and van hollen. Each of us is committed to passing this groundbreaking bill by the end of the year, for a variety of reasons, but mostly because we need to start saving lives right now.
▶ 0:20:36Mister chairman, I'm sorry to hijack this opening statement, but we're going to need the full force of this subcommittee to pass this bill. And I think really the solution is before us, lives are on the line and we don't have a minute to delay. And so I'm looking forward to working with you, miss miller-meeks, and everybody else. Um, and the chairman and ranking member to make sure we get this done and I yield back. Speaker 1: gentleman yields back. And and I look forward to reading the bill that was introduced yesterday.
▶ 0:21:03And now recognize the gentleman from kentucky, the chairman of the full committee, Mr. guthrie, for five minutes for an opening statement. Speaker 3: good morning, everyone, and thank you, chairman, for the recognition and holding this important markup. Today, we're continuing the committee's work to combat the threat of existing and emerging drug threats by advancing legislation that will help to keep illicit drugs out of our communities. In 2025, dea sees more than 47 million counterfeit pills containing fentanyl.
▶ 0:21:30Just two milligrams of fentanyl is considered a potentially lethal dose that small enough to fit on the tip of a pencil. Now, bad actors are using punches and dies that imitate the markings of legitimate prescriptions like oxycodone, xanax and adderall to manufacture counterfeit pills and illicit tabs. Over 98% of the pills seized and tested by the dea had fake pharmaceutical imprints. These.
▶ 0:21:56These counterfeits are widely available due to criminal drug networks and are being falsely marketed as legitimate prescription pills to deceive the american public. The bills before us today take important steps to safeguard public health by equipping all law enforcement officials with the necessary resources to protect americans from the threat posed by counterfeit pills. I appreciate the work that has gone into these bills already, and I look forward to continuing the process. Thank you, Mr. chairman, and I yield back. Speaker 1: thank you.
▶ 0:22:25And the gentleman yields back and now recognize the ranking member of the full committee, the gentleman from new jersey, Mr. pallone, for his five minutes for an opening statement. Speaker 4: thank you, chairman griffin. Today, we're marking up three bills to address the supply chains that turn illicit chemicals into counterfeit pills. They target the equipment, the importation, and the production behind the fentanyl crisis. H.r. 5880.
▶ 0:22:46The fight illicit pill presses act requires people to identify tableting and encapsulating machines by serial number so that when the law enforcement seizes a press, they can trace it. The bill mirrors the biden administration's detect and defeat counter fentanyl proposal, which called on congress to establish a nationwide pill press and tableting machine registry so officials could track these machines and their illicit use.
▶ 0:23:14While I support the intent of this bill, I do have some concerns that it will tag unwitting, unwitting individuals with criminal liability. There may be people who are not intending or are not aware that a pill press will be used for illicit use. Then there's h.r. 2184. The press act would make it unlawful to manufacture, distribute, or import pill press equipment with the intent to illicitly produce a controlled substance. And then h.r.
▶ 0:23:388005, the stop pills that kill act implements sentencing penalties for producing fentanyl, fentanyl analogs, or counterfeit pills. And it requires the dea to create a comprehensive plan to address counterfeit substances. And we share jurisdiction over these bills with our colleagues on the house judiciary committee. And I hope we can work together to ensure that we fully understand the real implications of the criminal penalty component to all these bills.
▶ 0:24:01After all, we've made real progress over the last several years in strong bipartisan fashion to combat the overdose crisis. But an enforcement only strategy is not the answer, particularly at a time when the administration's actions are jeopardizing all the progress we've made. This package of bills prioritizes more criminal penalties, penalties, and more enforcement. But we already ran that experiment starting back in the 1980s, and decades of escalating drug penalties did not empty the pill mills. Instead, it failed.
▶ 0:24:30It filled our prisons while the supply chain adapted and the deaths kept climbing. We know what does save lives. This committee's own record shows that expanded access to medications for opioid use disorder, fentanyl test strips and naloxone help reduce overdose deaths by nearly 28% from 2023 to 24. That's the largest drop we've seen. And it came from treatment and harm reduction, not from a new felony.
▶ 0:24:56At the hearing that produced these bills, members agreed on a bipartisan basis that addiction should be treated as a disease. And that's why the trump administration's actions to slash substance use and recovery funding could stunt the progress we've made. The trump administration has dismantled the substance abuse and mental health services administration, samhsa, and that's the agency responsible for addressing the overdose crisis.
▶ 0:25:19Samhsa staff have been reduced by half, and the administration cut $1.7 billion in block grants for state health departments that cut $350 million in addiction and overdose prevention funding. These cuts are drastic and devastating and want to truly protect our communities and win our ongoing battle against substance use disorders. We should work together to stop these attacks from the trump administration. With that, I yield back the balance of my time, Mr. chairman. Thank you. Speaker 1: gentleman yields back.
▶ 0:25:46I would remind members that pursuant to committee rules, all members opening statements will be made a part of the record. Are there any further opening statements? Seeing none, I now recognize what next page. I now call up h.r. 7184 and ask the clerk to report. Speaker 5: h.r. 7184, a bill to amend the controlled substances act to prevent the importation of illicit pill press machines with the intent to counterfeit substances and for other purposes.
▶ 0:26:17Speaker 1: without objection, the first reading of the bill is dispensed with, and the bill will be open for amendments at any point so ordered. Seeing no objection, and I now recognize myself. For five minutes on h.r. 7184, the press act. And I offer my support for this bill with the recognition. There is still work to be done on this policy, and that we're engaged in bipartisan efforts to get this policy to a good place. The influx of illicit drugs into the U.S.
▶ 0:26:45Has, in part, been driven by bad actors. I would say, in big part, exploiting loopholes within our legal system. Currently, one of those loopholes is the unfettered importation of pill presses and their critical parts, which are in turn being utilized for mass production of counterfeit substances.
▶ 0:27:03So, as many as have heard in various testimonies, they will make a pill that they then try to sell as pill x, which doesn't have much of a harm to it, but it's laced with fentanyl or some other dangerous substance. And then we have young people who are dying thinking that they're just getting a little boost for studies or, or something else.
▶ 0:27:24So this act would give our federal prosecutors the tools they need to hold the nefarious foreign actors accountable for importing pill presses and pill equipment into the united states with the intent to illicitly produce controlled substances. I strongly urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back. And I now recognize the gentlelady from colorado, miss degette, the ranking member, for her five minutes on the bill. Speaker 2: thank you, Mr. chairman. I'm really pleased to hear you say that you think this bill needs more work, because it does.
▶ 0:27:52And we look forward to working with you as it moves forward. The press act would expand dea's jurisdiction over pill presses beyond our borders, and it would make it illegal for an individual to manufacture or distribute pill press equipment if they know it will be used to manufacture illicit substances to be imported into the us.
▶ 0:28:13It also increases criminal penalties for listed chemicals, which are components of illicit substances or their production, and it directs the U.S. sentencing commission to update sentencing guidelines more likely than not to increase penalties. And so it's like I said in my opening statement, it makes already illegal conduct more illegal.
▶ 0:28:36And I worry that such increasingly punitive sentencing will not deter criminals, but it will only further overburden our judicial system. I do support making sure we can prosecute bad actors who are importing dangerous drugs into the united states. That's that's energy and commerce as part of this referral. But when the penalties are already so high, I just don't think we should increase penalties for the sake of doing it.
▶ 0:29:04And so I look forward to working with you and your staff on this. And I yield back. Speaker 1: gentlelady yields back. Anyone else wishing to speak on the bill? Seeing none. All those in favor, hang on. You all okay? The question now occurs on forwarding h.r. 7184, as amended to the not amended, but to the full committee. All those in favor say aye. Opposed? No. No.
▶ 0:29:33The ayes have it, and the bill is agreed to and forwarded to the full committee. I now call up h.r. 8005. If the clerk would report h. H.r. 8005. Speaker 5: h.r. 8005.
▶ 0:29:52A bill to amend the controlled substances act to prohibit certain acts related to fentanyl analogs of fentanyl in counterfeit substances and for other purposes, be it enacted by the senate and house of representatives of the united states of america. In congress assembled. Speaker 1: and without objection. Without objection, the first reading the bill is dispensed with and the bill will be open for amendment at any point. Seeing no objection so ordered. Um, and I believe that there is an amendment in the nature of a substitute at the clerk's desk.
▶ 0:30:21Could the clerk please report that. Speaker 5: amendment in the nature of a substitute to h.r. 8005, offered by Mr. griffith of virginia. Speaker 1: and without objection, uh, we will dispense with the reading of the amendment in the nature of substitute any objection? Seeing none. Uh, I offer my support, and I now recognize myself for five minutes. I now offer my support to the amendment in the nature substitute to hr8005. The pill stop pills that kill act. Uh.
▶ 0:30:53The ames amendment substitute amends the underlying bill. To clarify the scope of the legislation pertains to counterfeit pills containing fentanyl, methamphetamine, or an illicit synthetic substance. This legislation would require the dea to create and implement a comprehensive plan to investigate and prevent the movement of such counterfeit pills. It allows prosecutors to apply enhanced penalties to those who are involved in the manufacturing of fentanyl, fentanyl analogs and fentanyl related substances.
▶ 0:31:23It would also require the attorney general to conduct a report to congress examining the collection and prosecutions of counterfeit pills that contain fentanyl, methamphetamine, or illicit synthetic substance. This bill would give us more tools and information to prevent deadly counterfeit pills from reaching the hands of americans, and I strongly encourage my colleagues to support this aims and the bill. And I will tell you all that.
▶ 0:31:50I understand that if we catch somebody doing these bad things and they've got the pills on them, it's already illegal. But I kind of equate these bills to the problem they had in virginia in the 19th century, where people were going into cemeteries and grave robbing. They couldn't always catch them with their hand in the grave. So they made it illegal to enter the cemetery after dark. Yes. If they're grave robbing, you've already got a crime.
▶ 0:32:16But by stopping it before they get to the grave, by saying it's illegal to be in the graveyard, they solve the problem. I think this will help solve the drug problem in the united states. Won't be a perfect cure, but I think it is one of the things that we need to do. And with that, I yield back and recognize the gentlelady of colorado, the ranking member, miss degette, for her five minutes. Speaker 2: thank you, Mr. chairman. I, I it's going to take me some time to think through your grave, grave robbing analysis.
▶ 0:32:42I'm not really sure it applies here, but let me talk about this bill, because you're exactly right. If we catch them with fentanyl or fentanyl laced substances, it's already illegal. So what this bill does, it enhances an existing criminal penalty for possession of equipment used to produce fentanyl, which are an analog of fentanyl or a counterfeit substance.
▶ 0:33:08It also requires the dea to establish a response plan to address counterfeit fentanyl and report to congress on seizures and convictions under the bill. This is all at the same time, dea is struggling to enforce current laws. Now they're going to do a response plan with all of this. Look, the bill targets a real problem of the spread of counterfeit fentanyl or misrepresentation of fentanyl as another substance.
▶ 0:33:36But the bill misses the mark in meaningfully addressing the issue. That's because it defines counterfeit fentanyl as a substance that contains fentanyl. So the substance in question is already illegal, and prosecutors already apply penalty enhancements for knowing misrepresentation of a drug. This bill simply duplicates existing criminal penalties.
▶ 0:34:02I guess silly season is approaching, and that's why I oppose this bill and I yield back. Speaker 1: gentlelady yields back. Is there further discussion on the amendment in the nature of a substitute? If there's no further discussion, the vote occurs on the amendment. All those in favor of the amendment in the nature of the substitute shall signify by saying, I. All those opposed. Nay, the ayes have it, and the amendment is agreed to. Uh.
▶ 0:34:25And now we get to, uh the bill, and the question now occurs on forwarding h.r. 8005, as amended, to the full committee. All those in favor say aye. Opposed? No. No. The ayes have it. The bill is agreed to and forwarded to the full committee. All right. And now. H.r. 5880.
▶ 0:34:56I call up h.r. 5880 and asked the clerk to report. Speaker 5: h.r. 5880 vote to amend the controlled substances act to require regulated persons to identify tabulating machines and encapsulating machines by serial number, be it enacted by the senate and house of representatives of the united states of america. And.
▶ 0:35:14Speaker 1: and without objection, the first reading of the bill is dispensed with, and the bill will be open for amendment at any point, seeing no objection so ordered, and I will, uh, recognize myself for five minutes on the h.r. 58805 illicit pill presses act. I support this bill and urge all of my colleagues to do the same with the understanding that our work is to find our that our work to fine tune this policy will continue after today's markup and before it gets to the full committee.
▶ 0:35:43One of the challenges we have had with stopping the influx of illicit drugs into our communities stems from our lack of ability to regulate, monitor and track the transactions involving pill presses and their critical parts. Consequently, this limits our ability to quickly identify cases of pill presses and their critical parts as being diverted and misused for the production of illicit drugs. H.r.
▶ 0:36:075880 the fight illicit pill presses act would address this gap by mandating the serialization of pill presses and their critical parts. In addition to updating the requirements to work with dea to report and retain records of these regulated transactions. And I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back. I now recognize ranking member, the gentlelady from colorado for her five minutes to discuss the bill. Speaker 2: well, thank you, Mr. chairman.
▶ 0:36:32Once again, I'm delighted to hear you say that we need to work to fine tune this bill, because this bill, again, is a really rushed through effort. Um, a, a really a solution in search of a problem. This bill requires each component of a pill press to have a serial number to help law enforcement track and prosecute their uses to produce illicit drugs.
▶ 0:36:54I have several practical concerns, concerns with serialization, and with the accompanying criminal penalties in particular. Well, here's some food for thought. We don't even require such stringent reporting requirements in serialization for firearms, for firearms. So everyday americans who own pill presses for non nefarious reasons, like making supplements or even making candy would have to comply with this law.
▶ 0:37:24If those individuals who are making candy at home with the presses sold a pill press without proper serialization, after they were done with it, they would risk going to federal prison. All under this bill. Old equipment is not grandfathered in and there is no way to practically serialize existing equipment. Now, I guess the response to this is prosecutors would not go after ordinary americans.
▶ 0:37:55But I have to tell you, I'm a former public defender, and I really don't think we need to give the doj power to just go after people who are making candy in their basement. And so I think, as you do, Mr. chairman, this this bill needs additional work. I can't understand why we're rushing through all of these bills that all need additional work and have very minimum impacts on deterring crime and fentanyl.
▶ 0:38:22But be that as it may, um, I'm going to oppose this bill to and I yield back. Speaker 1: gentlelady yields back. Anyone else wish to be recognized to discuss the bill? All right. The question seeing none then the question now occurs on forwarding h.r. Five eight, eight zero to the full committee. All those in favor say aye. Opposed? No. Speaker 2: no. Speaker 1: 2 to 1. The ayes have it, and the bill is agreed to and forwarded to the full committee. Uh, right.
▶ 0:38:49And without objection, staff is authorized to make technical and conforming changes to the legislation approved by the committee today. Without objection. So ordered. And the committee stands adjourned for a minute or two.