Combating Online Fentanyl Trafficking Act

The Combating Online Fentanyl Trafficking Act would authorize the Attorney General to pay incentive compensation to Department of Justice staff who hold positions requiring significant cyber skills used to detect, prevent, or prosecute fentanyl trafficking online. The incentive pay could be up to 25 percent of the employee’s basic pay and would be funded only “subject to the availability of appropriations.” The incentive would not count toward certain federal pay caps for the pay period and annual limits, but it would be treated as part of basic pay for retirement calculations. The bill defines “cyber skills” broadly as expertise in computers, networks, information technology, or the internet. In short, the bill creates a targeted bonus program intended to attract and retain DOJ personnel with specialized cyber capabilities to fight online fentanyl trafficking.