AG Manibusan joins bipartisan coalition in calling for fentanyl to remain a Schedule I drug

CNMI Attorney General Edward Manibusan was joined in a bipartisan coalition of all 56 Attorneys General in calling for Congress to permanently classify fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I drugs.

Schedule I drugs are defined as drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.

In the letter, the Attorneys General urge Congress to pass S. 2701, the Federal Initiative to Guarantee Health by Targeting (FIGHT) Fentanyl Act, a bipartisan bill introduced by U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Joe Manchin (D-WV).

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) issued a temporary scheduling order in February 2018 to schedule fentanyl-related substances that has allowed federal law enforcement authorities to bring criminal actions against individuals who manufacture, distribute or handle fentanyl-related substances. This scheduling order is set to expire less than two months from now on Feb. 6, 2020. The FIGHT Fentanyl Act codifies DEA precedent to schedule fentanyl-related substances.

The FIGHT Fentanyl Act will ensure law enforcement agencies and courts retain the tools needed to keep those who traffic in this deadly substance off the streets.

In the most recent data available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 72,000 drug-related deaths in the United States in 2017. Of those deaths, roughly 40% involved fentanyl or a fentanyl-related compound.

Attorneys general from every state, territory and the District of Columbia signed the letter.

With the support of every Attorney General, the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) has chosen to endorse the legislation as one of its official policy positions. NAAG typically endorses around a dozen policies a year.

Attorney General Manibusan joins bipartisan coalition seeking congressional support for autism services

Attorney General Edward Manibusan today announced that he has joined a bipartisan coalition of 47 attorneys general calling upon Congress to authorize the Autism CARES Act of 2019. This legislation provides ongoing federal support for research into autism spectrum disorders (“ASD”) and services to those affected by these conditions.

In the CNMI, Public Law 16-28 created the Commonwealth Autism Commission to develop a comprehensive plan for services for individuals with autism. “I highly encourage the members of the Commonwealth Autism Commission to take part in supporting the Autism CARES Act reauthorization bill to U.S. Congress,” says Attorney General Manibusan. “There are a number of children and adults in the CNMI who are diagnosed with ASD and it is important that these individuals continue to receive services with the support of the Autism Commission,” concludes the AG.

The coalition is co-led by Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill and Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood.

“The United States is a caring and compassionate nation,” Attorney General Hill said. “As Americans, we must stand together to help alleviate the challenges imposed by ASD upon families across the country.”

A previous version of this legislation is set to expire on Sept. 30, 2019. The Autism CARES Act of 2019 currently exists as H.R. 1058 in the U.S. House of Representatives and S. 427 in the U.S. Senate. Congress began addressing autism in 2000 with the first enactment of the bill. The Autism CARES Act of 2019 will continue Congress’ ongoing mission to ensure that those living with ASD receive the necessary support and research.

“We are committed to providing a wide array of programs and services to support children and adults with autism, and their families,” Attorney General Hood said. “The Act responds to this national concern with a cohesive interagency effort, including programs for America’s rural and underdeveloped communities.”

Attorneys General Calls on Congress to require shell company transparency

Attorney General Edward Manibusan today joined a bipartisan group of 24 attorneys general to urge leadership of the House Financial Services Committee to advance legislation improving transparency of shell corporations by requiring them to disclose who controls and profits from their activities.

Anonymous shell corporations can be used to obscure participants in financial transactions, and can also allow criminals to launder money without accountability. State law enforcement investigations can stall when the identity of the individuals who control or profit from the companies is hidden.

Attorney General Manibusan states “This is an important piece of legislation as our region has become a market for investment notably from Asian countries. This provision would prevent individuals from using shell companies to evade responsibility and to convey the importance of making this information available to law enforcement.”

The letter to Committee Chair Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas, and Ranking Member Maxine Waters, D-Calif., co-led by Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson and Colorado Attorney General Cynthia Coffman, stresses not only the importance of transparency, but the necessity of ensuring that state and local law enforcement have access to the information.

According to a report released earlier this year by Polaris, an organization that works to eradicate human trafficking worldwide, current law in the U.S. allows trafficking operations like illicit massage parlors to hide their beneficial owners, and “flourish in secrecy, shielding traffickers from law enforcement and prosecution.” Polaris estimated more than 9,000 parlors operate nationwide, with nearly $2.5 billion in earnings.

A 2016 report by Washington, D.C.-based consumer group Fair Share details cases where opioid trafficking was connected to shell companies. The report describes drug cartels’ use of shell corporations to launder profits by investing in ventures including racehorses in Oklahoma.

In the letter to Congress, the Attorneys General write “As you know, state attorneys general are the top law enforcement officers in our respective states,” “We are leading efforts to protect residents of our states by addressing the opioid epidemic, combating human trafficking and investigating and prosecuting other crimes.”

Without more transparency, however, investigators cannot effectively follow the money to uncover who is benefiting from a shell company’s transactions.

Also joining the letter are Attorneys General from California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia, as well as the District of Columbia, the Northern Mariana Islands and Puerto Rico.

View PDF here.