§278u — Title 15 Commerce and Trade | U.S. Code

Summary

The Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology must lead work to improve how xylazine and similar new drugs are detected and analyzed. The Director must fund NIST’s in-house research to make better lab tests, faster measurement tools, and data methods to identify and share information about xylazine, novel synthetic opioids, and other new psychoactive substances. The Director must also support near‑real‑time spectrometry work, bring together and consult with federal agencies (like the DEA, CDC, NIDA), federal labs, state and local partners, universities, private and nonprofit groups, and intergovernmental bodies, create or expand partnerships and consortia for this research, and encourage graduate and post‑graduate study to include detection of these substances. Key terms: Director = NIST Director; Federal laboratory = meaning in section 3703 of this title; Institute = NIST; institution of higher education = meaning in section 1001 of title 20; nonprofit organization = a 501(c)(3) tax‑exempt group; xylazine = a non‑opioid veterinary tranquilizer (a methyl‑benzene compound) used as an emetic and sedative that also relieves pain and relaxes muscles. The Director must protect sensitive information with proper security controls under the law. Within 1 year after December 19, 2023, the Director must send a report to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, which may include suggestions for new laws.

Title 15, §278u

Commerce and Trade — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In this section:

(1)The term “Director” means the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

(2)The term “Federal laboratory” has the meaning given such term in section 3703 of this title.

(3)The term “Institute” means the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

(4)The term “institution of higher education” has the meaning given such term in section 1001 of title 20.

(5)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)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)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,11 So in original. The comma probably should be a semicolon. 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)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)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.

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.

§278u Xylazine Detection and Analysis

Summary

Title 15, §278u

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Citations & Metadata