Shaheen Statement on China's Commitment to Control Trafficking of Fentanyl

SHAHEEN: "This is an important breakthrough that will help save lives but this commitment must be followed by diligent implementation by the Chinese government"  

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement after reports that the Trump administration reached an agreement with Chinese President Xi Jinping that includes a commitment by China to classify fentanyl as a controlled substance: 

"This is an important breakthrough that will help save lives but this commitment must be followed by diligent implementation by the Chinese government," said Shaheen. "Thorough follow through, combined with a recent bipartisan law that stymies the international shipment of fentanyl through the postal service, will go a long way towards keeping this deadly poison off our streets. Fentanyl continues to be the main cause of overdose deaths in New Hampshire, devastating families and communities all across our state. I appreciate the President's attention to the fentanyl trafficking issue, and will continue to work with the administration to stop fentanyl distribution in the United States."  

In October, the President signed into law bipartisan legislation that includes provisions sponsored by Senator Shaheen, including a provision that requires shipments from foreign countries that use our postal system to provide electronic advance data before they cross our borders and enter the United States. This allows U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to better target potential illegal packages and stop synthetic drugs like fentanyl and carfentanyl from being shipped through U.S. borders to drug traffickers in the United States.