The CBW Fentanyl Act (Countering Beijing's Weaponization of Fentanyl Act) would expand the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991 (22 U.S.C. § 5601 et seq.) to create a new sanctions trigger when a foreign government official, employee, or agent commits a 'covered act' involving a 'chemical or biological program.' The bill defines 'chemical or biological program' to include not only traditional chemical and biological weapons but specifically the production, development, or distribution of three fentanyl precursors: benzylfentanyl, 4-anilinopiperidine, and norfentanyl precursors. Within 60 days of receiving credible information about a covered act, the President must determine whether the official committed it and would impose a cascading sanctions framework on the official's foreign country: an initial 30-day round (suspend scientific cooperation, ban Commerce Control List Category 1 and 2 exports, ban procurement from the country's chemical and biological sectors), then an intermediate 120-day round (terminate foreign assistance, ban Export Control Reform Act exports, ban Munitions List licenses) if the country fails to address concerns, and a final 210-day round prohibiting financial transactions. Sanctions terminate after one year if the country adequately addresses the act; the President has a 180-day national-security waiver authority that sunsets after five years. Despite the title's China focus, the bill applies to any foreign country whose officials commit a covered act. Republican Rep. Barry Moore of Alabama leads the bill with Reps. Smith (R-NJ) and Moolenaar (R-MI).
Congressional Summary
Countering Beijing’s Weaponization of Fentanyl Act or the CBW Fentanyl ActThis bill establishes escalating sanctions to be applied to a foreign country when certain individuals associated with its government cause harm to another country through actions related to a program to produce, develop, or distribute chemical or biological weapons or specified molecules related to fentanyl production.Specifically, if the President determines that an official, employee, or agent of a foreign governmental entity (including a foreign government or an entity receiving significant material support from a foreign government) acts in a manner that the individual knew, or should have known, would harm another country through actions related to such a program, then the President must impose initial sanctions.Initial sanctions include prohibiting the procurement of goods or services from persons operating in that country's chemical or biological sectors.If the foreign governmental entity does not take corrective actions, the President must impose additional sanctions, which may include terminating certain foreign assistance to the country.If corrective actions are still not taken, the President must prohibit transactions that (1) are subject to U.S. jurisdiction; (2) involve a financial interest of the sanctioned country; and (3) are in foreign commerce or are financial institution transfers or payments.Within five years of enactment, the President may temporarily waive sanctions for vital national security interests. The President must terminate sanctions when certain conditions are met, including that the sanctionable conduct has been addressed.
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- House
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Introduced in House
- Action Date
- 2026-02-12
- Date Added
- 2026-05-12
- Source
- Congress.gov →
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