Senator John Cornyn | Official U.S. House headshot
Senator John Cornyn | Official U.S. House headshot
WASHINGTON – On Friday, U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) introduced their Contraband Awareness Technology Catches Harmful (CATCH) Fentanyl Act, aimed at enhancing fentanyl detection at the southern border.
Sen. Cornyn emphasized the importance of the legislation, stating, “Last year, Customs and Border Protection seized enough fentanyl at the southern border to kill every American 16 times over, and we have no way of knowing how much more evaded law enforcement.”
Sen. Hassan echoed these sentiments, highlighting the impact of the fentanyl crisis on families and communities, saying, “The fentanyl crisis has devastated families in New Hampshire and across the country and we must use every tool at our disposal to stop fentanyl from coming over our borders.”
The bipartisan bill seeks to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of fentanyl detection technology, including the use of artificial intelligence, in inspecting vehicles at the border. Sen. Hassan reaffirmed her commitment to enhancing border resources to combat the smuggling of illicit materials into the United States.
The CATCH Fentanyl Act addresses the challenges faced by U.S. Customs and Border Protection in implementing Non-Intrusive Inspection (NII) technology at land ports of entry. Despite allocated funding, NII technology currently has limitations in scanning vehicles and cargo for contraband like fentanyl.
The legislation aims to tackle issues such as inadequate scanning capabilities for certain vehicle areas where fentanyl may be hidden, logistical constraints at border crossings located on bridges, and challenges in coordinating the placement of scanning machines due to radiation concerns.
Furthermore, the bill mandates the testing of five new pieces of technology at land ports of entry to enhance contraband detection, reduce wait times, and lower operational costs.
The introduction of the CATCH Fentanyl Act underscores the ongoing efforts to strengthen border security measures and prevent the illicit trafficking of dangerous substances like fentanyl into the United States.
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