During his State of the Union address last week, President Donald Trump discussed the devastation caused by fentanyl, a synthetic opioid similar to but stronger than morphine, which largely originates in China and comes to the U.S. through various entry points.

In response, Sen. Doug Jones, D-AL, joined with a bipartisan contingent to hold countries accountable for turning a blind eye to the ongoing problem.

The legislation, known as the Blocking Deadly Fentanyl Imports Act, “imposes new penalties on fentanyl-exporting nations like China that do not adhere to international narcotics control standards,” according to a press release from Jones’ office.

Under the bill, nations that export illicit fentanyl would be ineligible for taxpayer-subsidized foreign aid from the United States or Export-Import Bank loans if it does not cooperate with narcotics control efforts.

Similar consequences are already in place by the U.S. Department of State in regard to any nation deemed a “major producer or trafficker” of illicit heroin, marijuana, cocaine or methamphetamine and its base chemicals.

“We have seen an increase in substance use deaths in Alabama and across the country because of the rise of illicit fentanyl,” Jones said. “Even small amounts of it can be deadly for our first responders should they be exposed.”

Jones noted that, recently, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers “made the largest seizure in U.S. history of fentanyl during a stop at a border checkpoint.

“This bipartisan bill will add to those efforts to help stop illicit fentanyl from being trafficked across our borders and into our communities,” Jones said.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 29,000 Americans died from fentanyl overdoses in 2017, up by 840 five years ago.

Fentanyl is often added to heroin and unsuspecting users are apt to experience a stronger effect than they planned, often leading to an overdose.

Because fentanyl is fairly cheap to produce, it could shift and be manufactured in other nations – that is why the Jones-backed legislation has consequences in place for any nation, not just China, that is not proactive in curbing the production and trafficking of the drug, according to the release.