Congressman Chris Smith is pushing new legislation, in the wake of the growing trend across the nation in rainbow fentanyl trafficking which would expand the nation’s authority in combating the entry of the opioid from crossing the border into the United States.
The legislation, known as the Homeland Security Fentanyl Enforcement Act ( HR 9093) grants more authority to the Department of Homeland Security in halting the drug, which comes from China, and is targeted for use by young people.
“Targeting children by drug cartels with deadly fentanyl made to look like candy is just the latest horrific aspect of the fentanyl crisis that has wreaked havoc on our communities,” said Smith, previously the author of HR 1542 designed to help combat the fentanyl crisis.
“The nefarious drug networks pushing this Chinese-made synthetic opioid—which is 50 times more potent than heroin—on our kids in our own backyard must be defeated,” said Smith. He noted that in the last five months alone, US law enforcement officials have seized more than 10 million fentanyl pills and another approximate 980 pounds of fentanyl powder, equating to more than 36 million lethal doses.
HR 9093, developed DHS law enforcement officers, would grant agents within the DHS Homeland Security Investigations (HIS) unit with independent authority to enforce America’s drug laws. Currently, only approximately 1,500 of more than 6,800 HSI special agents have DEA authority to investigate these crimes, leaving thousands of HSI agents on the sidelines as fentanyl and other deadly drugs pour into the country.
The bill is just one of Smith’s ongoing attempts to combat the fentanyl crisis. Earlier this year, the Congressman cosponsored the Stop Fentanyl Border Crossings Act (HR 7359), which would expand Title 42 authority to turn away migrants to combat the profuse amount of drug smuggling across the US-Mexico Border.
“It is absolutely critical that we secure our border immediately to help put an end to the immense suffering and loss of life caused by the infiltration of these lethal drugs,” said Smith, who last Congress chaired a congressional hearing entitled “Tackling Fentanyl: The China Connection ” that included compelling testimony from then-Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph Coronato.
