Bipartisan bill calls for sanctions if China doesn't crack down on fentanyl

WASHINGTON -

A bipartisan group of senators, including one from New Hampshire, wants to make sure China delivers on its promise to crack down on fentanyl.

Earlier this week, China announced that it will now regulate all variations of fentanyl as controlled substances, closing a loophole that was feeding illegal, overseas demand for fentanyl and related drugs.

On Thursday, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., joined fellow Democrats and Republicans in introducing a sanctions bill that would penalize China if it doesn't follow through on the crackdown.

"The problem is that the list of agreements they have made and not kept is longer than the list of agreements they have made and kept," said Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida. "So, for us, this is an opportunity to trust but double verify."

"This fight will continue to be bipartisan because each of us see in our home states the impact of this horrible scourge on our citizens," Shaheen said.

Shaheen also talked about a new report showing the cost of the U.S. opioid crisis is more than $26,000 per minute.