Yadira Caraveo: “I thank Ranking Member Lofgren for yielding time. Today, I am proud to stand in strong support of the Testing, Rapid…”

“I thank Ranking Member Lofgren for yielding time. Today, I am proud to stand in strong support of the Testing, Rapid Analysis, and Narcotic Quality Research Act that I introduced with my colleague from Georgia, Representative Mike Collins. In recent months, criminals have turned to xylazine, a common animal tranquilizer, to make fentanyl. If injected, this drug can have horrible side effects, including large wounds at the injection site. As a doctor, I have seen firsthand the horrific impact of the drug crisis on our families and communities. Addictive, dangerous substances like opioids have wreaked havoc in Colorado, where we are now losing approximately 2,000 Coloradans a year to fentanyl and meth overdoses. These numbers are likely to worsen with the emergence of xylazine. Our bipartisan legislation directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology to make it easier and faster to detect drugs containing xylazine and novel synthetic opioids. It also supports the development of safe handling processes to protect law enforcement officers and forensic chemists from this dangerous substance. This effort will ensure our first responders have the support that they need to detect, identify, and better understand synthetic opioids and ultimately help save American lives. At a time of deep division in our country, I am encouraged by the bipartisan support to address this next wave of the drug crisis.…”