“This bipartisan legislation will require pill presses and their critical parts to have a serial number, which will help law enforcement, fight counterfeit pill production, reduce overdoses, and ultimately save lives.”Background:In 2024, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) seized more than 61.1 million fentanyl-laced pills. With these illicit drugs on the rise, many cartels have gained access to the same type of pill presses used by pharmaceutical companies in order to create counterfeit pills that are often indistinguishable from real medication. The Controlled Substances Act currently requires companies to keep records on the distribution of pill press equipment, which helps the DEA track and seize pill presses used to manufacture fentanyl-laced pills. But while illicit pill presses have been seized in 43 states, many reports suggest these seizures only account for a small number of those being used by cartels. The legislation is endorsed by National Narcotic Officers’ Associations’ Coalition (NNOAC), National HIDTA Directors Association, CADCA, National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO), Major County Sheriffs of America (MCSA), Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA), and Sergeants Benevolent Association NYPD.