Dear Representative McDowell,
I am writing on behalf of the members of the Fraternal Order of Police to advise you of our support for H.R. 7184, the “Preventing Rogue Equipment for Synthetic Substances (PRESS) Act.”
This bill addresses a vulnerability in our current enforcement framework: the unchecked importation of pill press machines and unlisted precursor chemicals used to mass-produce counterfeit narcotics inside the United States. Table-top pill presses capable of producing thousands of pills per hour have enabled cartels and transnational criminal organizations to shift from smuggling finished pills to manufacturing them domestically, ultimately increasing both availability and lethality.
This bill amends the Controlled Substances Act by providing Federal prosecutors and law enforcement agencies with the authority to hold foreign entities accountable for intentionally importing pill presses and precursor chemicals for illicit drug manufacturing. Criminal organizations exploit gaps in existing law by mislabeling equipment such as innocuous machines or furniture parts and reassembling them once inside our borders. By criminalizing the intentional importation of unlisted precursor chemicals and pill press-related equipment, we can enhance the ability to disrupt drug supply chains before they reach American streets and ultimately save lives.
On behalf of the more than 382,000 members of the Fraternal Order of Police, I thank you for your leadership on this important issue. If I can provide any additional information about this bill, please do not hesitate to contact me or Executive Director Jim Pasco in our Washington, D.C. office.
Sincerely,
Patrick Yoes
National President