Bill Text: NJ ACR167 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Urges Congress to enact H.R.128 directing treatment of illicit fentanyl as weapon of mass destruction.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2025-06-12 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Oversight, Reform and Federal Relations Committee [ACR167 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-ACR167-Introduced.html
ASSEMBLY CONCURRENT RESOLUTION No. 167
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
INTRODUCED JUNE 12, 2025
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman DAWN FANTASIA
District 24 (Morris, Sussex and Warren)
SYNOPSIS
Urges Congress to enact H.R.128 directing treatment of illicit fentanyl as weapon of mass destruction.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
A Concurrent Resolution urging Congress to enact H.R.128 directing the treatment of illicit fentanyl as weapon of mass destruction.
Whereas, H.R. 128 is Congressional legislation sponsored by Representative Lauren Boebert directing the Department of Homeland Security to treat illicit fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction (WMD); and
Whereas, Section 2302 of Title 50, United States Code, declares "[t]he term 'weapon of mass destruction' means any weapon or device that is intended, or has the capability, to cause death or serious bodily injury to a significant number of people through the release, dissemination, or impact of- (A) toxic or poisonous chemicals or their precursors; (B) a disease or organism; or "(C) radiation or radioactivity;" and
Whereas, The designation of illicit fentanyl as a WMD would conform to the USC definition of WMD in that it has the capability to cause death or serious bodily injury to a significant number of people through dissemination or impact of a toxic or poisonous chemical; and
Whereas, Illicit opiates, including fentanyl are unregulated opiates and derivatives often produced and manufactured by foreign actors and sold or used illegally; and
Whereas, The destructive impact of illicit fentanyl on the American population and populations worldwide is succinctly summarized in House Resolution 1172 of the second session of the 117th Congress, which is federal legislation expressing the sentiment that fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, is a WMD; and
Whereas, H. Res.1172 sought recognition that (a) the current approach to combatting the country's drug crisis is not sufficient; (b) new and bold action is necessary to save lives; (c) a WMD designation of illicit fentanyl by the federal government would empower the government to go after international trafficking syndicates and root out illicit manufacturers and traffickers to take action to stop fentanyl from reaching the border; and (d) a WMD designation of illicit fentanyl would not hinder the use of legal fentanyl or stop ongoing recovery, treatment, and harm reduction efforts; and
Whereas, enacting H.R.128 would achieve the goals set forth in H. Res.1172 and enhance international efforts to intercede in illicit manufacturing and trafficking; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey (the Senate concurring):
1. The United States Congress is urged to enact H.R.128 requiring the Assistant Secretary for the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office of the Department of Homeland Security to treat illicit fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction.
2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly or the Secretary of the State to the President of the United States, and every member of the New Jersey Congressional delegation.
STATEMENT
This Concurrent Resolution urges Congress to enact H.R.128 directing treatment of illicit fentanyl as weapon of mass destruction. This congressional legislation is supported by data in H. Res.1172 introduced in Congress 2022 that details the impact of illicit synthetic opioids, specifically fentanyl, on populations. While the number of deaths from synthetic opioids has dropped in recent years, illegal opioids, and other pills obtained illegally by users, can contain lethal amounts of fentanyl, unknown to the user.
