Halt All Lethal Trafficking of Fentanyl Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of H.R. 467, the HALT Fentanyl Act.

A recent poll shows just 16 percent of Americans are satisfied with how things are going in the United States.

Why?

Washington has largely ignored pressing issues in the past 2 years. While the fentanyl epidemic may not grab headlines in the mainstream media, it has lost the pulse of mainstream America, few issues are more important.

Illicit fentanyl poisonings are now the number one cause of death among Americans aged 18 to 49. Nearly every American knows a friend or a relative who has struggled or even overdosed. I do.

Despite the crisis, Congress has continued to kick the can down the road by temporarily extending the class-wide scheduling order. Each time, law enforcement is left scrambling as we approach the deadline, which would let many of the fentanyl-related substances become legal.

We must permanently give law enforcement the tools they need to keep Americans safe. The HALT Fentanyl Act complements other solutions like the recently passed Secure the Border Act, which will help properly root out the flow of illicit drugs and limit supply.

Mr. Chair, I urge the bill's passage, which will represent another step toward restoring the voice of the American people in the House.

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