Political Quotes

“Madam Chair, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Madam Chair, for over 2 years, I have worked with my colleague from Virginia's Ninth District to pass the HALT Fentanyl Act. During this time, our country has reeled from a record-breaking number of poisonings. In both 2021 and 2022, over 100,000 Americans died of an overdose. What was the main culprit? Fentanyl-related substances. In 2021, 77 percent of teen overdose deaths were attributed to an illicit fentanyl poisoning, and it is now the number one cause of deaths among adults 18 to 49. This crisis has simply spiraled out of control, and action must be taken immediately. That is why our bill, the HALT Fentanyl Act, comes into play. Right now, these fentanyl substances are temporarily set as a schedule I narcotic. If this class-wide scheduling were to expire, drug traffickers will be given the green light to push deadlier drugs; law enforcement will lose authority to seize these deadly narcotics; and Americans will continue to die. I am pleased the House is taking up this bill to permanently place fentanyl-related substances as a schedule I narcotic. Let me take a moment to clear up a misconception about this bill. This isn't about criminal justice reform. This is about justice for the victims of fentanyl poisoning. Cartels are killing our citizens for 10 cents. Let me repeat that: Cartels are killing our citizens for 10 cents. That is how much it costs to make a pill in Mexico that is fentanyl-laced.…”