Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Global Health, issued the following statement on Monday:

“Although I am cautiously optimistic that China, as part of trade negotiations, will list all variants of fentanyl on its list of controlled substances, this action means nothing without proper enforcement. Chinese-produced fentanyl has been trafficked into the U.S. and is killing Americans, and China has had the capability to crack down on this drug trade and has not done so.

“We have heard soothing but empty rhetoric before from China’s leaders—most recently at the G20 Summit in Buenos Aires late last year—so we must continue to monitor developments closely and hold Chinese officials and manufacturers accountable if they fail to take decisive action and enforce this new policy.

“I have introduced legislation, HR 1542, to identify all Chinese officials and individuals involved in fentanyl production and trafficking so the U.S. can sanction these individuals under existing authority.”