This week, legislation authored by Research and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Mike Collins (R-GA) was signed into law by the President of the United States. H.R. 1734, the Testing, Rapid Analysis, and Narcotic Quality (TRANQ) Research Act, was the first bill written and introduced by the freshman congressman and was reported out of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee on March 29 by a vote of 36-0. The legislation originally passed the House on May 11 by a vote of 425-0. It then passed the Senate by unanimous consent with a minor amendment on June 22. That version of the legislation passed the House again on December 4 and was signed into law on December 19.
The signing of H.R. 1734 by the President cements Representative Mike Collins as the first freshman of the 118th Congress to have a bill become law.
"I am immensely proud to have the TRANQ Research Act be my first bill in Congress signed into law," said Rep. Collins. "Our law enforcement personnel require additional resources to better combat the flood of synthetic opioids devastating American communities across the country and this bill accomplishes just that."
“Novel opioids like tranq are presenting new challenges for law enforcement, health care professionals, and first responders. The Tranq Research Act authorizes critical research and development to help us better understand, detect, and handle these drugs. With that knowledge, we can help to slow their spread and reduce lives lost to these deadly drugs. I’d like to congratulate Research and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Mike Collins for his forward-thinking work on this legislation. This is an issue that affects every area of our country, so it’s appropriate that it is the first bill authored by a freshman member of this Congress signed into law," Science, Space, and Technology Committee Chairman Frank Lucas (R-OK) added.
Background:
The TRANQ Research Act directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to deepen its partnerships and strategically focus on the science needed to detect, identify, and better understand synthetic opioids. One particularly dangerous fentanyl analog contains xylazine, a veterinary tranquilizer.
Tranq, also known as the “Zombie Drug,” has gruesome side effects, one of which causes large wounds that don’t heal and is resistant to standard opioid overdose treatments. Its use is skyrocketing across the country and contributing to an ever-growing number of drug overdoses.
|