U.S. House Passes Spanberger’s Bipartisan Legislation to Combat Fentanyl Trafficking at the Southern Border & Stand Up to the Chinese Communist Party as Part of Defense Authorization Bill

The Bipartisan Legislation also includes a Pay Raise for U.S. Servicemembers & the Congresswoman’s Legislation to Repeal the Outdated 1991 Gulf War AUMF

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A bipartisan majority of the U.S. House of Representatives today voted to pass Spanberger’s bipartisan legislation to combat fentanyl trafficking along America’s southern border and her bipartisan legislation to stand up to emerging financial threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party. The legislation now moves to the U.S. Senate for further consideration.

The House-passed fiscal year 2023 (FY23) National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) includes a 4.6 percent pay increase for U.S. servicemembers and civilian personnel. Additionally, the legislation includes bipartisan amendments led by Spanberger to better target and detect illicit fentanyl along the U.S.-Mexico border, protect U.S. financial interests from economic pressures from the Chinese Communist Party, strengthen oversight of U.S. assistance to Ukraine, and reassert the role of Congress and the American people in making decisions of war and peace.

“As a former CIA case officer, I know that we need a tough, smart strategy to address the wide array of threats to America’s national security. This strategy begins by making sure the men and women who keep our country safe receive the support they deserve — and I’m proud to join both Democrats and Republicans in giving our troops and their families a raise,” said Spanberger. “This package includes amendments I led to make sure we have a plan to boost security at our border checkpoints, combat drug trafficking, and stop fentanyl from coming through our borders and into our communities. Additionally, I was proud to see a bipartisan majority of the U.S. House pass my provisions to strengthen oversight of U.S. aid to Ukraine, prevent the Chinese Communist Party from calling the shots in the global economy, and repeal outdated war authorizations that currently serve no purpose. These types of reforms will not only increase our preparedness and safety here at home, but they will strengthen our global leadership at a time when the example of U.S. leadership is so sorely needed on the world stage.”

Spanberger’s fentanyl-focused amendments are based on provisions in her bipartisan Securing America’s Borders Against Fentanyl Act, which she introduced last week.

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The bipartisan defense authorization bill includes several Spanberger-led provisions, including:

• Improving America’s response to illicit fentanyl trafficking along the border and at ports of entry. The House-passed FY2023 NDAA includes bipartisan amendments led by Spanberger that would require the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to focus on developing new technological solutions to target and detect illicit fentanyl at U.S. borders and ports of entry. Additionally, these amendments would require DHS to collaborate with other agencies involved in fentanyl interdiction to collect data and develop metrics to measure the effectiveness of current technologies to detect, deter, or address fentanyl trafficking into the United States. The Spanberger-led amendments would also direct the Office of National Drug Control Policy to strengthen performance measures and targets for evaluating regional interdiction efforts at our borders. Spanberger co-led these amendments with U.S. Representative Andrew Garbarino (R-NY-02).

• Standing up to the Chinese Communist Party’s financial threats. The bipartisan bill includes Spanberger’s legislation to counter financial threats emerging from the Chinese economy that could negatively impact America’s economy. Specifically, the legislation would require the U.S. Treasury Department to assess future risks and provide recommendations on how to strengthen international cooperation to monitor and mitigate risks from the Chinese Communist Party and its control of the economy of the People’s Republic of China. Spanberger co-led this amendment with U.S. Representative Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH-16).

• Strengthening oversight of U.S. assistance to Ukraine. As the United States continues to support its ally Ukraine as it fends off the Russian Federation’s invasion, the bipartisan bill includes Spanberger’s legislation requiring stronger oversight infrastructure with respect to U.S. assistance to Ukraine. Specifically, it would examine which federal agencies are overseeing assistance to Ukraine, how well these agencies are coordinating, whether there are gaps in oversight, and whether the U.S. federal government is positioned to adequately oversee U.S. expenditures — leading the way for stronger congressional oversight. Spanberger co-led this amendment with U.S. Representative Peter Meijer (R-MI-03).

• Preventing future abuses of executive power and repealing outdated war authorizations. The House-passed FY2023 NDAA includes Spanberger’s bipartisan amendment to repeal the 1991 Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF). Spanberger has consistently led the push to repeal outdated and inactive AUMFs — including the 1991 AUMF against Iraq, which was Congress’ authorization for the First Gulf War of 1991 in response to Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait more than 30 years ago. Spanberger co-led this amendment with U.S. Representatives Peter Meijer (R-MI-03) and Gregory Meeks (D-NY-05), Chairman of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee.

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