SenateS. 4004119th Congress
Protect Law Enforcement Task Forces Act
Full Text
Official text as published. Use Ctrl+F / Cmd+F to search within the document.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4004 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4004
To authorize the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces to combat
transnational organized crime and to reduce the availability of illicit
narcotics in the United States by using a prosecutor-led, multi-agency
approach to enforcement, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 5, 2026
Mr. Whitehouse (for himself and Mr. Blumenthal) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
the Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces to combat
transnational organized crime and to reduce the availability of illicit
narcotics in the United States by using a prosecutor-led, multi-agency
approach to enforcement, 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 ``Protect Law Enforcement Task Forces
Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Established in 1982, the Organized Crime Drug
Enforcement Task Forces has been the centerpiece of the
strategy of the Attorney General to combat transnational
organized crime and to reduce the availability of illicit
narcotics in the United States by using a prosecutor-led,
multi-agency approach to enforcement through concentrated,
coordinated, long-term enterprise investigations of
transnational organized crime, money laundering, and major drug
trafficking networks.
(2) OCDETF is the largest anti-crime task force in the
United States with its own executive office and is accountable
for over 500 Federal prosecutors, 1,200 Federal agents, and
some 5,000 State and local police. The program has 9 regions
and 19 strike forces around the United States to coordinate
investigations and prosecutions by bringing together Federal,
State, and local law enforcement for multi-jurisdictional
operations, while the OCDETF Fusion Center leads on
intelligence sharing.
(3) OCDETF implements a nationwide strategy combining
priority targeting, coordination, intelligence sharing, and
directed resourcing to have the greatest impact disrupting and
dismantling command and control elements of criminal
organizations.
(4) OCDETF has one of the best returns on investment in
Federal law enforcement, as demonstrated by the following:
(A) In fiscal year 2022, OCDETF brought in
$524,000,000 in cash and property seizures and
forfeitures.
(B) In fiscal year 2023, OCDETF brought in
$423,000,000, almost offsetting its funding.
(5) Since the inception of OCDETF, tens of thousands of
arrests have been made, and hundreds of tons of narcotics and
billions in currency, real property, and conveyances have all
been seized proving how, in its current structure, OCDETF is a
legitimate and effective initiative that has successfully
lowered crime in cities across the United States.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Covered agency.--The term ``covered agency'' means--
(A) the Department of the Treasury;
(B) the Department of Homeland Security;
(C) the United States Postal Service;
(D) the Department of Labor; and
(E) the Department of State.
(2) OCDETF.--The term ``OCDETF'' means the Organized Crime
Drug Enforcement Task Forces established by and under the
direction of the Attorney General and announced on October 14,
1982, in the Remarks Announcing Federal Initiatives Against
Drug Trafficking and Organized Crime.
(3) OFC.--The term ``OFC'' means the OCDETF Fusion Center.
(4) Task forces.--The term ``Task Forces'' means the
interagency task force established under section 4.
SEC. 4. INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE.
(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Attorney General, acting through the
Director of the OCDETF, and in coordination with other agencies of the
Department of Justice, including the Drug Enforcement Administration,
and covered agencies shall structure the OCDETF to combat transnational
organized crime and to reduce the availability of illicit narcotics in
the United States by using a prosecutor-led, multi-agency approach to
enforcement.
(b) Report.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Attorney General, acting through the
Director of the OCDETF, in conjunction with the head of each
covered agency, shall submit a joint report on the successes of
the Task Forces to--
(A) the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate;
(B) the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs of the Senate;
(C) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;
(D) the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of
Representatives;
(E) the Committee on Homeland Security of the House
of Representatives; and
(F) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of
Representatives.
(2) Classification and public release.--The report
submitted under paragraph (1) shall be--
(A) submitted in unclassified form, to the greatest
extent possible, with a classified annex only if
necessary; and
(B) in the case of the unclassified portion of the
report, posted on the public website of the Department
of Justice and each covered agency included in the Task
Forces.
SEC. 5. SUNSET.
This Act shall have no force or effect after January 20, 2029.
<all>