Following Record Number of Synthetic Overdose Deaths, U.S. Reps. Trone, McCaul and U.S. Senators Shaheen, Portman Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Increase Global Cooperation in Fight Against Synthetic Drug Trafficking
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Hannah Muldavin (Trone), Hannah.Muldavin@mail.house.gov
Following Record Number of Synthetic Overdose Deaths, U.S. Reps. Trone, McCaul and U.S. Senators Shaheen, Portman Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Increase Global Cooperation in Fight Against Synthetic Drug Trafficking
WASHINGTON — Today, U.S Representatives David Trone (D-MD) and Michael McCaul (R-TX) along with U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Rob Portman (R-OH) introduced the Fighting Emerging Narcotics Through Additional Nations to Yield Lasting (FENTANYL) Results Act to increase global cooperation in the fight against synthetic drug trafficking.
The FENTANYL Results Act would authorize two programs through the State Department that would build foreign law enforcement capacity to detect synthetic drugs and carry out an international exchange program for drug demand reduction experts.
Last month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released preliminary data showing a dramatic increase in overdose deaths from 2018 to 2019, which highlighted that synthetic drugs led to the greatest year over year increase in overdose deaths.
“My nephew Ian Trone died of a fentanyl overdose at the age of 24 alone in a hotel room, and since his passing we’ve seen a dramatic and alarming increase in fentanyl and other synthetic opioid deaths across this country,” said Congressman David Trone, member of the Commission to Combat Synthetic Opioid Trafficking and founder of the Freshmen Working Group on Addiction. “We need to tackle the opioid crisis from every angle, and that includes working with international partners to curb drug trafficking and save lives. I’m honored to work with Ranking Member Michael McCaul, Senator Jeanne Shaheen, and Senator Rob Portman on this bill that will direct new efforts within the State Department to ensure we are taking every possible step to end the flow of fentanyl and other synthetic drugs into the United States.”
“While the US has taken important steps to combat the opioid crisis here at home, we must also identify and address international flows of lethal drugs into the US, most of which come from China,” said Congressman McCaul. “By bolstering international law enforcement cooperation and capacity, we can stop illegal drugs at the source and help curb the devastating opioid crisis that has ravaged communities across our nation. I am proud to join Representative Trone as well as Senators Portman and Shaheen in this bipartisan effort to help stop the flow of international drugs and end the opioid epidemic.”
“Fentanyl continues to fuel the overdose crisis in New Hampshire and take lives from every community in our State,” said Senator Jeanne Shaheen. “Preventing fentanyl from reaching our borders must be a key component of our national strategy to combatting the opioid epidemic. Our legislation enhances our cooperative efforts with key nations to clamp down on drug trafficking through upending supply chains. Stopping the flow of drugs into our communities is a mammoth task and we must continue to make every effort at the federal level to save lives from insidious synthetic drugs like fentanyl.”
“I’m proud to join my colleagues Senator Jeanne Shaheen and Representatives Michael McCaul and David Trone on this bipartisan, bicameral bill that will continue our work to reduce the devastating effects of synthetic opioid drug production like fentanyl,” said Senator Rob Portman. “This legislation will strengthen State Department data collection on synthetic drug production while increasing international law enforcement capacity. This important effort will help us save lives and mitigate the devastating effects of deadly synthetic opioids, which have impacted families and communities across Ohio and our country. I urge my colleagues to join us in supporting this important legislation and will continue to do everything I can to stop these deadly substances from destroying lives both in America and around the world.”
For a section-by-section summary, click here.
To read bill text, click here.
Congressman David Trone was elected to the House of Representatives in November 2018 to serve the 6th District of Maryland, which includes all or part of Montgomery, Frederick, Washington, Allegany, and Garrett Counties. Trone serves on the Education and Labor, Foreign Affairs, and Joint Economic Committees, where he is fighting to make progress on issues that matter to Marylanders, including the opioid epidemic, criminal justice reform, and funding for medical research.
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