Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Pallone for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Dangerous Synthetic Drug Control Act, which will reclassify 22 dangerous synthetic substances as schedule I substances subject to the control and enforcement associated with schedule I substances. Mr. Speaker, the community I represent, like every community represented in this Chamber, has been visited by the tragedy of fatal drug overdoses. We know the statistics nationally--opioid deaths are in the 30,000 neighborhood. That is a tragedy around the country. The substances that we reclassify today include some of the fentanyl substances that are often associated with the most gruesome overdoses often mixed with heroin. My colleagues will remember that fentanyl is the drug actually responsible for the overdose death of the musician Prince and, sadly, is pervasive through our communities. The synthetic drugs that are being scheduled today through this bill are particularly pernicious because they are marketed often in corner retail establishments and often in ways designed to appeal to young people in colored packages with names like K2 and Spice, clearly targeting our youngest constituents.…”