H.R. 5918

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5918 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 5918

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 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

November 4, 2025

Mr. Morelle introduced the following bill; which was 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 (OCDETF) has been the centerpiece of 
the Attorney General's strategy to combat transnational 
organized crime and to reduce the availability of illicit 
narcotics in the Nation 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 
country with its own Executive Office and its accountability 
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 country to coordinate 
investigations and prosecutions by bringing together Federal, 
State, and local law enforcement for multi-jurisdictional 
operations, while the OCDETF Fusion Center (OFC) 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 
million in cash and property seizures and forfeitures.
(B) In fiscal year 2023, OCDETF brought in $423 
million, almost offsetting its funding.
(5) Since OCDETF's inception, 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. INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE.

(a) In General.--Beginning not later than 180 days after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Attorney General, acting through the 
Director of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, and in 
coordination with other agencies of the Department of Justice, 
including the Drug Enforcement Administration, shall structure the 
Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (in this section, referred 
to as ``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.
(b) Covered Agency.--For the purpose of subsection (a), the 
following are covered agencies:
(1) Department of the Treasury.
(2) Department of Homeland Security.
(3) U.S. Postal Service.
(4) Department of Labor.
(5) Department of State.
(c) 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 Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, 
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.
(d) Sunset.--This Act shall have no force or effect after January 
20, 2029.
(e) Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces Described.--In 
this Act, Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces refers to the 
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.
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