HR 3078119th CongressIn Committee

To amend the Department of Energy Research and Innovation Act to direct the Secretary of Energy to coordinate with certain Federal officials to conduct research, development, testing, and evaluation of novel technologies to detect fentanyl vapor or particles in support of rapid screening of the mails, at prisons, at United States borders, and in other related use cases, and for other purposes.

Introduced: Apr 29, 2025

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

H.R. 3078 would amend the Department of Energy Research and Innovation Act to require the Secretary of Energy to lead an interagency program focused on researching, developing, testing, and evaluating novel technologies that detect fentanyl vapor or particles. The program would be conducted in coordination with the Attorney General, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Postmaster General (head of the U.S. Postal Service) and would support rapid screening at the mail system, prisons, U.S. borders, and other related use cases. The bill also sets up a separate section for appropriations to fund this effort. In short, it tasks DOE with coordinating a federal, interagency R&D effort to improve fentanyl detection technologies across key points of entry and use, with funding considerations to follow.

Key Points

1Establishes a new research program (Section 317) under the DOE Research and Innovation Act to study and test technologies for detecting fentanyl vapor or particles.
2Requires formal coordination among four federal entities: Secretary of Energy, Attorney General, Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Postmaster General.
3Aims to support rapid screening in four areas: the mails, prisons, United States borders, and other related use cases.
4Includes a clerical amendment to relocate and rename the section within the Act (renumbering to Sec. 317 and adding Sec. 318 for authorizations).
5Creates a potential funding pathway by authorizing appropriations for this program (Sec. 318), though the bill text does not specify dollar amounts.

Impact Areas

Primary: U.S. Department of Energy (lead agency for the program), the Department of Justice (Attorney General), the Department of Homeland Security, and the United States Postal Service (Postmaster General), plus facilities like prisons and border crossings where screening would occur.Secondary: Private sector and research institutions that develop fentanyl detection technologies; interagency operational staff involved in mail handling, border security, and prison safety; potential implications for privacy, civil liberties, and bio/chemical surveillance considerations.Additional Impacts: The bill could influence funding priorities for federal R&D in detection technologies, accelerate development and potential deployment of fentanyl detection tools, and raise considerations around deployment, accuracy (false positives/negatives), and integration with existing screening workflows.The text specifies “novel technologies to detect fentanyl vapor or particles” and focuses on rapid screening, but does not detail specific technologies or deployment timelines.The sponsor information appears in the bill’s introduction; the summary here reflects the content of the measure as introduced.

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