STOP Act 2.0
- Bill Number
- S. 2725
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Foreign Trade and International Finance
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-09-04: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
- Last Updated
- 2026-03-05T18:08:58Z
AI-Generated Summary
STOP Act 2.0 (S. 2725)
Purpose
This legislation aims to strengthen enforcement against the misuse of international mail for illicit activities, particularly the trafficking of synthetic opioids like fentanyl. It builds on the 2018 STOP Act by increasing penalties for certain fraud, phasing out exceptions to advance data requirements, and adding tools for detection, reporting, and international cooperation.
Key Provisions
- Enhanced Criminal Penalties: Amends 18 U.S.C. § 1341 to impose up to 5 years imprisonment, fines, or both for knowingly misrepresenting the country of origin in international mail shipment data submitted under the Trade Act of 2002. It also extends seizure and forfeiture authority under the Tariff Act of 1930.
- Termination of Exclusion Authority: Ends the ability to exclude countries from the 100% advance electronic information requirement under section 343(a)(3)(K)(vi) of the Trade Act of 2002, effective 5 years after enactment.
- Annual Compliance Reporting: Requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to submit detailed yearly reports to Congress on agreements with foreign postal operators, data quality, search results for narcotics and counterfeits, randomized testing (disaggregated by USPS vs. private carriers), excluded countries, and technology use for detecting opioids.
- Public-Private Partnerships: Authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security, Attorney General, and Postmaster General to collaborate with private entities on technology to identify parcel origins linked to fentanyl and other substances.
- International Information Sharing: Permits sharing of shipper history and best practices with U.S. allies, subject to existing laws.
- CBP Training: Mandates training for U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers on detecting synthetic opioids using equipment and trend analysis.
- GAO Evaluation: Directs the Comptroller General to assess implementation of the 2018 STOP Act, including compliance gaps, differences between carriers, and use of exclusion authority.
- Severability Clause: Ensures that if any part is found unconstitutional, the rest remains in effect.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Introduces a new subsection to the mail fraud statute with specific penalties and forfeiture rules tied to international mail data.
- Sets a firm 5-year sunset on country exclusion authority previously available under the Trade Act.
- Replaces prior reporting sections in the 2018 STOP Act with expanded, mandatory annual requirements covering data quality metrics, search outcomes, and excluded countries.
- Adds new authorities for partnerships and training not present in the original STOP Act.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Increases workload for the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and U.S. Postal Service through enhanced reporting, training, data verification, and enforcement actions.
- Citizens: May improve detection of illicit drugs entering via mail, potentially reducing availability of synthetic opioids.
- International Relations: Requires greater compliance from foreign postal operators and could strain relations with countries facing exclusion termination; encourages information sharing with allies.
Main Stakeholders
- U.S. Postal Service and foreign postal operators
- Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and Border Protection
- Department of Justice and private parcel carriers
- Congress (via reporting requirements)
- The general public, particularly those affected by opioid trafficking
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- The bill includes a severability provision to preserve the Act if individual sections face constitutional challenges.
- It emphasizes data-driven enforcement and technology use without altering core constitutional protections for mail or international agreements.
- Bipartisan sponsorship highlights focus on border security and public health priorities related to synthetic opioids.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (1)
Sen. Capito, Shelley Moore [R-WV]
Recent Actions
- 2025-09-04: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
- 2025-09-04: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- STOP Act 2.0 — issued 2025-09-04 — PDF (12 pages)