Fight Illicit Pill Presses Act
Rep. Hageman Introduces Bipartisan Fight Illicit Pill Presses Act to Track Drug Manufacturing Equipment
This bill is currently in the early stages of the legislative process and is being reviewed by two House committees. It is actively moving forward as it waits for these committees to finish their work. There are no specific dates set for future votes at this time.
Passage Likelihood
Legislative Progress
Key Points
- The bill requires permanent serial numbers on pill-pressing machines, capsule-filling machines, and their critical parts (punches and dies). Anyone who manufactures, distributes, sells, imports, or exports these machines must engrave or permanently affix a serial number to a nonremovable part.
From policy text
“identify the tableting machine, encapsulating machine, critical part of a tableting machine, or critical part of an encapsulating machine by means of a serial number that is engraved, cast, or otherwise permanently affixed to a nonremovable part”
View in full text - The bill expands the definition of "regulated person" under the Controlled Substances Act to include anyone who manufactures, distributes, delivers, sells, imports, or exports these machines or their critical parts. This brings pill press equipment into the same regulatory framework used for controlled substance chemicals.
- It creates new federal crimes for tampering with or removing serial numbers on these machines, and for knowingly possessing or selling a machine whose serial number has been removed or altered. This mirrors how firearms serial number laws work.
From policy text
“to remove, alter, or obliterate any serial number affixed to a tableting machine, encapsulating machine, a critical part of a tableting machine, or a critical part of an encapsulating machine, that is required to have a serial number”
View in full text - Businesses must report serial numbers to the Attorney General during regulated transactions like sales or imports, creating a traceable paper trail for law enforcement to follow when investigating illicit drug manufacturing operations.
From policy text
“any regulated transaction in a tableting machine, encapsulating machine, or critical part, including the serial number affixed to the tableting machine, encapsulating machine, or critical part”
View in full text - The Attorney General has 180 days after enactment to issue regulations, including guidance on how to handle machines manufactured before the law takes effect. The serial number requirements only apply to machines made or sold after those regulations go into effect.
From policy text
“Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Attorney General shall promulgate regulations carrying out the amendments made by paragraph (1).”
View in full text
Impact Analysis
Personal Impact
Milestones
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, 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.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Introduced in House
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Related News
3 articlesBipartisan WA effort to combat fentanyl continues
Senator Maria Cantwell introduced the Fight Illicit Pill Presses Act (FIPPA) to require serial numbers on pill presses. The legislation aims to provide law enforcement with tools to trace illicit manufacturing equipment used by traffickers to create dangerous counterfeit pills.
Fentanyl Crisis: Cornyn Urges Action In Dallas
Senator John Cornyn and other officials discussed the Fight Illicit Pill Presses Act during a Dallas roundtable. The proposed legislation mandates serial numbers on pill presses to assist law enforcement in tracking machines used for illegal drug production and seizing illicit equipment.
Chairman Griffith Delivers Opening Statement at Subcommittee on Health Legislative Hearing on Policies Protecting Communities from Emerging Illicit Drug Threats
During a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee hearing, Chairman Griffith highlighted H.R. 5880, the Fight Illicit Pill Presses Act. The bill proposes serialization requirements for pill presses and punches to help law enforcement combat the illicit drug trade and track manufacturing tools.
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Fight Illicit Pill Presses Act
Data Sources
Sponsor
Cosponsors
(14)Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.