North Miami-Dade News

On July 31, 2024, Representatives María Elvira Salazar (R-FL) and Joaquin Castro (D-TX), alongside a bipartisan group of lawmakers, introduced H.R. 9172, the Destruction Initiative for Stored Precursors Overseas and Safe Enforcement (DISPOSE) Act. This legislation aims to establish fentanyl and precursor chemical destruction facilities in Mexico, Colombia, and Peru—key drug trafficking choke points.

The DISPOSE Act seeks to address the influx of fentanyl and other synthetic drugs originating from or trafficked through Latin America by developing strategies to locate, identify, and safely destroy these chemicals before they reach the United States.

“Fentanyl is killing thousands of Americans, and we can no longer afford to sit still as our enemies flood our communities with these dangerous drugs,” said Rep. Salazar. “The DISPOSE Act will combat the crisis by working with our partners in Latin America to destroy these drugs well before they cross our borders.”

The legislation establishes the Precursor Chemical Destruction Initiative to enhance drug trafficking countermeasures in collaboration with Western Hemisphere partners. The initiative aims to:

- Increase rates of seizure and destruction of listed chemicals in beneficiary countries;

- Alleviate the backlog of seized chemicals and dispose them in an environmentally safe manner;

- Ensure that seized chemicals are not reintroduced into illicit drug production networks;

- Free up storage space for future chemical seizures;

- Reduce the environmental impact of these chemicals.

Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and Jim Risch (R-ID) have introduced companion legislation in the Senate.

“Congress needs to do our part to address the roots of the fentanyl crisis in our country. The DISPOSE Act will help our neighbors in the Western Hemisphere safely destroy fentanyl and precursor chemicals that have been seized from the black market,” said Rep. Castro. “I’m glad to cosponsor this bipartisan effort to keep these chemicals out of the wrong hands.”

Senator Grassley emphasized targeting "the first link in the illicit drug supply chain" as crucial for stopping deadly drugs from entering the U.S., while Senator Shaheen highlighted ensuring environmentally responsible destruction methods.

Senator Risch underscored that addressing this threat requires effective international cooperation: “This legislation will deepen cooperation with Mexico and other countries...to verifiably destroy seized precursor chemicals.”

Rep. Pappas called for swift action on this bill: “I join this bipartisan group...in introducing the DISPOSE Act which will increase collaboration with Mexico, Colombia, and Peru...I strongly urge House leadership to swiftly bring this bipartisan bill to a vote.”

Rep. Stanton noted that combatting fentanyl requires a comprehensive regional strategy involving Latin American countries.

Rep. Spanberger stressed her firsthand experience tracking cartels: “Our country must do more...this legislation would help keep these substances out of...our communities.”

Rep. Lawler reiterated his commitment: “Fentanyl is killing young Americans...We must DISPOSE of this deadly poison once and for all.”

To read the text of the bill, click here.