Congress approves plan to keep dangerous synthetic drug from traveling into U.S.

Congress approved a plan today to keep dangerous synthetic drugs from traveling into the U.S. and states such as Pennsylvania.

Buried in Congress' latest government spending plan is $65 million to stop the flow of fentanyl into the U.S.

The money will be used to buy devices that U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents can use to detect fetanyl coming in at the border.

“I don't pretend for a moment we keep everything out. We've never been able to do that in the drug war,” Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown said.

TRENDING NOW:

• Toys R Us liquidation sale postponed: What you need to know
• Mom charged with leaving kids alone, toddler wandering outside
• School district cuts one day off school week; students will only go for four days a week
• VIDEO: Bride Temporarily Blinded By Poisonous Bouquet Gets Re-Do

We told you in January about an investigation that found Chinese distributors sent $800 million worth of fentanyl to customers in the U.S.

There's also a bill that would help the U.S. Postal Service better inspect packages to detect drugs.

In all, the must-pass spending plan from Congress contains $4 billion to address the opioid epidemic.

The governor of Pennsylvania announced today that synthetic fentanyl-related substances will now be classified as Schedule I drugs.

This means they will be illegal.

The state attorney general said this action is important in confronting the top public health and safety crisis Pennsylvania is facing.

Cox Media Group