ADDRESSING FENTANYL CRISIS

ADDRESSING FENTANYL CRISIS

Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 25 (Thursday, February 6, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 25 (Thursday, February 6, 2025)] [House] [Page H518] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] ADDRESSING FENTANYL CRISIS (Mr. HILL of Arkansas asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.) Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight the critical steps that my colleagues and I are taking to protect Americans and their families from the illicit fentanyl crisis that has been harming our communities for years. Illicit fentanyl has become the leading cause of death for Americans between the ages of 18 and 49 and ravages communities in every corner of Arkansas. In 2019, my Fentanyl Sanctions Act became law, imposing sanctions on Chinese drug manufacturers that supply synthetic opioids and transnational criminal organizations that traffic fentanyl into our country. In 2022, my Preventing Overdoses and Saving Lives Act passed the House with overwhelming support and became law. That bill expands lifesaving drugs like naloxone by promoting its coprescription with opioid medications. Later this afternoon, the House will come together again and pass the HALT Fentanyl Act, permanently extending President Trump's 2018 classification of illicit fentanyl-related substances in schedule I. Mr. Speaker, together, this Chamber and President Trump will continue our work to save American lives by keeping illicit fentanyl off of our streets and out of our communities. ____________________