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Congressman Guest Introduces the END FENTANYL Act
Washington, D.C. – In response to the rising threat of illicit fentanyl, Congressman Michael Guest (R-MS), joined by Congressman David Trone (D-MD), introduced the bipartisan and bicameral Eradicating Narcotic Drugs and Formulating Effective New Tools to Address National Yearly Losses of Life (END FENTANYL) Act.
“The damage that has already been caused by fentanyl is irreparable. Overdoses caused by fentanyl is now the leading cause of death in Americans aged 18 to 45, but we can act to mitigate the continued devastation that the drug is causing in communities across our nation,” Congressman Michael Guest said. “This bill is a strong step forward in our mission to save as many lives as possible from this deadly drug, and we must continue to work with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to stop the flow of fentanyl into our communities. I’m grateful for Congressman Trone and Senator Scott for their efforts towards this important goal.”
“Far too many Americans have lost loved ones to opioid overdoses, and millions more are currently suffering from substance use disorder. Working together, we must do everything we can to stem the flow of illicit fentanyl into our communities,” said Congressman David Trone. “The END FENTANYL Act will allow us to keep inspection practices at the border up to date to better combat this ever-evolving epidemic and save lives. This is a common-sense, bipartisan effort that we can all get behind.”
The END FENTANYL Act would require CBP to update its manuals at least every three years to identify ways to help prevent drug and human smuggling activity through ports of entry. It also would require the CBP Commissioner to report any changes that are made to the House Committee on Homeland Security and the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee.
The Senate companion to the bill, S. 4460, was introduced by Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) and has been approved by the Senate’s Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee.
“For too long, the crushing heartbreak felt from losing a loved one to a drug overdose, and the opioids that cause them, have plagued American families. This epidemic, fueled by the massive amounts of fentanyl flowing illegally over our southern border into our communities, has only grown worse. Every life taken by an accidental drug poisoning is a preventable tragedy and we must do everything in our power to stop them. We must continue our work to support our brave CBP agents, and all who are on the frontlines of this battle, ensuring they have every tool needed to fight back, keep these dangerous drugs out of our country and save lives. I am thankful for Congressmen Guest and Trone for leading this bipartisan charge in the House, and look forward to working together to get this important legislation passed into law,” Senator Rick Scott said.
As the Vice Ranking Member on Homeland Security, Congressman Guest has focused on combatting the fentanyl epidemic by cutting off its source in Mexico. Earlier this year, Congressman Michael Guest cosponsored another piece of legislation to combat the smuggling of fentanyl into the U.S. The bill would increase the sentence of those found smuggling fentanyl into the U.S. to life in prison.
“It’s time we take a hard stance against the smuggling of this deadly drug. With this legislation, we’re letting drug smugglers know that if they choose to bring fentanyl into American states, communities, and homes, the price they’ll pay will be severe,” Rep. Michael Guest said at the time of introduction.
Background:
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid used clinically for the treatment of severe pain. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “it is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine.” According to the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), illicit fentanyl is primarily manufactured in Mexico. It is then smuggled into the United States.
Fentanyl overdoses have become the leading cause of death for adults aged 18-45, according to a report by Families Against Fentanyl that analyzes data released by the CDC.
The amount of fentanyl seized by CBP agents increased by over 200% from FY2
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