Washington congressional members' bill expands funding for local drug task forces to combat opioids
May 18-U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Skamania, last week joined with colleagues Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Sunnyside, and Rick Larsen, D-Bellingham, on the End Fentanyl Trafficking with Local Task Forces Act to establish a dedicated federal funding stream to help multi-jurisdictional drug task forces combat opioid trafficking in Washington state and across the country.
The bill's introduction coincided with National Police Week, celebrated from May 11 through May 17 to recognize the sacrifices that law enforcement officers make to keep communities safe across the United States, according to a news release from Gluesenkamp Perez.
"Law enforcement makes real sacrifices to their personal safety to stop Fentanyl trafficking - inherently drug trafficking happens across jurisdictional boundaries and requires the multi-jurisdictional approach," Gluesenkamp Perez said in the release. "This funding makes all the sense in the world and I'm proud to help honor the sacrifice of our law enforcement by ensuring they've got the tools they need to most effectively combat the fentanyl crisis."
The End Fentanyl Trafficking with Local Task Forces Act would:
-Expand and formalize an existing Department of Justice (DOJ) program administered by the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Office - the Anti-Heroin Task Force (AHTF) - to fund multi-jurisdictional task forces to target opioid trafficking.
-Help law enforcement expand partnerships across federal, state, Tribal and local agencies to address opioid trafficking.
-Allow funds to be used to create new, or expand existing, muti-jurisdictional drug task forces; hire and train law enforcement offices and other support employees; procure equipment, technology and support systems; and pay overtime.
-Require 40 percent of funding to be made directly available to Indian Tribes (20 percent) and MJTFs (20 percent), which will help promote local law enforcement goals and limit the administrative burdens and additional requirements associated with using pass-through entities to secure funding.
-Authorize funding that doubles the amount historically provided to the AHTF to robustly support MTJFs and anti-trafficking efforts.
-Permit the COPS director to provide technical assistance, including through training centers and facilities, to instruct law enforcement and MJTFs on best practices for combating opioid trafficking
More information on the legislation is available at https://tinyurl.com/jrkyh5we.
Copyright 2026 Tribune Content Agency. All Rights Reserved.