Erin Houchin: “Even in 2021, there were double the amount of overdose deaths than firearm deaths in the United States, and the dramatic…”

“Even in 2021, there were double the amount of overdose deaths than firearm deaths in the United States, and the dramatic increase in overdose deaths, particularly due to fentanyl, are a direct result of Joe Biden's broken border policies. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, in 2021, U.S. citizens made up 86 percent of convicted fentanyl drug traffickers, 10 times greater than convictions of illegal immigrants for the same offense. Also, over 90 percent of fentanyl seizures occur at legal crossing points or interior vehicle checkpoints, not on illegal migration routes, so U.S. citizens who are subject to less scrutiny when crossing legally are the best smugglers. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to include in the Record an article from the Cato Institute entitled, ``Fentanyl is Smuggled for U.S. Citizens by U.S. Citizens, not Asylum Seekers.'' The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Massachusetts? There was no objection. [From the Cato Institute, Sept. 14, 2022] Fentanyl Is Smuggled for U.S. Citizens by U.S. Citizens, Not Asylum Seekers (By David J. Bier) Fentanyl overdoses tragically caused tens of thousands of preventable deaths last year. Many politicians who want to end U.S. asylum law claim that immigrants crossing the border illegally are responsible.…”