§278u. Xylazine detection and analysis

(a) Definitions

In this section:

(1) Director

The term "Director" means the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

(2) Federal laboratory

The term "Federal laboratory" has the meaning given such term in section 3703 of this title.

(3) Institute

The term "Institute" means the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

(4) Institution of higher education

The term "institution of higher education" has the meaning given such term in section 1001 of title 20.

(5) Nonprofit organization

The term "nonprofit organization" means an organization described in section 501(c)(3) of title 26 and exempt from tax under section 501(a) of such title.

(6) Xylazine

The term "xylazine" means the nonopioid tranquilizer methyl benzene compound frequently used in veterinary medicine as an emetic and sedative with analgesic and muscle relaxant properties.

(b) In general

The Director shall-

(1) support intramural basic measurement science and research of the Institute to advance-

(A) analytical methods to identify, understand, differentiate, and categorize substances containing xylazine, novel synthetic opioids, or other new psychoactive substances;

(B) measurement technologies to shorten analysis timelines and enhance narcotic and opioid detection and analysis capabilities;

(C) new data tools, techniques, and processes to identify and publicly disclose relevant information concerning substances containing xylazine, novel synthetic opioids, or other new psychoactive substances; and

(D) such other areas as the Director determines to be critical to the development and deployment of technologies to measure and analyze the presence of xylazine, novel synthetic opioids, and other new psychoactive substances;

(2) support activities to inform and expand the development of near-real time spectrometry capabilities regarding xylazine, novel synthetic opioids, and other new psychoactive substances;

(3) convene and consult with organizations engaged in the analysis of new psychoactive substances to develop coordinated strategies and voluntary best practices for the safe handling, transport, data-sharing, and analysis of substances containing xylazine, novel synthetic opioids, or other new psychoactive substances, including-

(A) the Drug Enforcement Administration;

(B) the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention;

(C) the National Institute on Drug Abuse;

(D) Federal laboratories;

(E) States and territories;

(F) State fusion centers;

(G) the private sector;

(H) intergovernmental organizations;

(I) institutions of higher education,¹ and

(J) nonprofit organizations;

(4) establish or expand collaborative partnerships or consortia with other government agencies and persons engaged in related research and development, such as institutions of higher education, Federal laboratories, public health agencies, intergovernmental organizations, and the private sector, to enhance narcotic and opioid detection and analysis capabilities regarding xylazine, novel synthetic opioids, and other new psychoactive substances; and

(5) encourage graduate and post-graduate research to include detection and identification of xylazine and other new psychoactive substances in relevant course studies when practicable.

(c) Controls

In carrying out activities under this section, the Director shall ensure proper security controls are implemented to protect sensitive information, as the Director considers appropriate and consistent with applicable provisions of law.

(d) Report

Not later than 1 year after December 19, 2023, the Director shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives a report on the implementation of this section. Such report may include recommendations for legislative action to improve the ability of the Director to carry out this section.

( Pub. L. 118–23, §2, Dec. 19, 2023, 137 Stat. 125 .)

Editorial Notes

Codification

Section was enacted as part of the Testing, Rapid Analysis, and Narcotic Quality Research Act of 2023, also known as the TRANQ Research Act of 2023, and not as part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act which comprises this chapter.

¹ So in original. The comma probably should be a semicolon.