Bill to Stop Flow of Fentanyl Through Postal Service Expected to Pass in Senate

A Senate bill designed to stop the flow of fentanyl and other opioids from China to the United States through the Postal Service is expected to pass this week, The New York Times reports.

The House approved a similar bill this summer. Both measures require the U.S. Postal Service to collect electronic information on merchandise that arrives in the United States. This would allow customs inspectors to screen packages for fentanyl and other contraband. FedEx, UPS and DHL already are required to provide such information, the article notes.

The Senate bill, The Synthetics Trafficking and Overdose Prevention (STOP) Act, would require the Postal Service to provide information on at least 70 percent of international mail shipments by the end of this year. By the end of 2020, it would have to provide data on all such shipments.