HELP Act of 2019

Help Ensure Lives are Protected Act of 2019 or the HELP Act of 2019

This bill establishes enhanced criminal penalties—life imprisonment or death—for certain drug offenses involving fentanyl that result in death or serious bodily injury.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1655 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1655

  To provide for enhanced penalties for certain offenses relating to 
   controlled substances containing fentanyl, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 8, 2019

     Mr. Reed (for himself, Mr. LaMalfa, Mr. Yoho, and Mr. Chabot) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, 
for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case 
for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of 
                        the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To provide for enhanced penalties for certain offenses relating to 
   controlled substances containing fentanyl, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Help Ensure Lives are Protected Act 
of 2019'' or the ``HELP Act of 2019''.

SEC. 2. ENHANCED PENALTIES FOR CERTAIN OFFENSES RELATING TO CONTROLLED 
              SUBSTANCES CONTAINING FENTANYL.

    (a) Controlled Substances Act Amendments.--Section 401(b) of the 
Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 841(b)) is amended by adding at 
the end the following:
    ``(8) In the case of a violation of subsection (a) involving a 
mixture or substance in an amount of 100 grams or more, if the mixture 
or substance containing a detectable amount of heroin also contains a 
detectable amount of N-phenyl-N-[1-(2-phenylethyl)-4-piperidinyl] 
propanamide or any analogue of N-phenyl-N-[1-(2-phenylethyl)-4-
piperidinyl] propanamide, and if death or serious bodily injury results 
from the use of such substance, such person shall be sentenced to life 
imprisonment or death.
    ``(9) In the case of a violation of subsection (a) involving a 
mixture or substance in an amount of 100 grams or more, if the mixture 
or substance containing a detectable amount of N-phenyl-N-[1-(2-
phenylethyl)-4-piperidinyl] propanamide or any analogue of N-phenyl-N-
[1-(2-phenylethyl)-4-piperidinyl] propanamide was represented to be or 
sold as heroin, and if death or serious bodily injury results from the 
use of such substance, such person shall be sentenced to life 
imprisonment or death.''.
    (b) Controlled Substances Import and Export Act Amendments.--
Section 1010(b) of the Controlled Substances Import and Export Act (21 
U.S.C. 960(b)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(8) In the case of a violation of subsection (a) involving a 
mixture or substance in an amount of 100 grams or more, if the mixture 
or substance containing a detectable amount of heroin also contains a 
detectable amount of N-phenyl-N-[1-(2-phenylethyl)-4-piperidinyl] 
propanamide or any analogue of N-phenyl-N-[1-(2-phenylethyl)-4-
piperidinyl] propanamide, and if death or serious bodily injury results 
from the use of such substance, such person shall be sentenced to life 
imprisonment or death.
    ``(9) In the case of a violation of subsection (a) involving a 
mixture or substance in an amount of 100 grams or more, if the mixture 
or substance containing a detectable amount of N-phenyl-N-[1-(2-
phenylethyl)-4-piperidinyl] propanamide or any analogue of N-phenyl-N-
[1-(2-phenylethyl)-4-piperidinyl] propanamide was represented to be or 
sold as heroin, and if death or serious bodily injury results from the 
use of such substance, such person shall be sentenced to life 
imprisonment or death.''.
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