On the recordJune 15, 2018
We hope that we will be able to work together to save lives and to fix the issues that we are addressing here today. Mr. Chair, we all want to solve the escalating problems of synthetic drugs, which permeate throughout our districts. Therefore, our initial reaction would be to naturally support this endeavor. However, while well-intended, this bill highlights many problems and does not fulfill the overall goal of stemming the tide of drugs on our streets. We must exercise prudence, as to not further exacerbate the crisis of mass incarceration and punish those that need help with substance abuse and whom this bill purports to help. Because this bill would concentrate an overwhelming amount of unchecked power within DOJ, eliminate scientific and medical analysis and interagency collaboration from the process of scheduling synthetic analogues, and expand penalties for drug offenses, I have serious concerns about H.R. 2851. The bill is strongly opposed by a broad spectrum of stakeholders, including Freedom Works, Drug Policy Alliance, Families Against Mandatory Minimum, ACLU, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, National Council of Churches, Human Rights Watch, The Sentencing Project and many others. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
