Providing for Consideration of H.R. Merger Filing Fee Modernization Act of Providing for Consideration of H.R. Mental Health Matters Act; and Providing for Consideration of S. Pava Program Inclusion Act; and for Other Purposes

Floor Speech

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Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to oppose the previous question so that we can immediately consider H.R. 6184, the HALT Fentanyl Act, and stop the deadly flow of fentanyl into our communities.

The failure of the Biden administration to control the southern border has resulted in record levels of deadly synthetic drugs, like fentanyl, pouring directly into American communities. So far this fiscal year, over 10,000 pounds of fentanyl have been seized at the southern border, with even more slipping through into our country. That is enough fentanyl to kill every American eight times over.

There is little doubt that the surge of drug seizures at our border is closely connected to the surge of drug overdose deaths in the United States. In fact, every 7\1/2\ minutes, someone in the United States dies from fentanyl poisoning. Every 7\1/2\ minutes. There is an opportunity here for us to work together to help stem the flow of deadly fentanyl and its analogues into our country.

In my home State of Georgia, fentanyl overdose deaths in teens are up 800 percent. 800 percent. Tragic overdoses like this are happening every day all over the country.

Even the CDC reports that fentanyl is now the leading cause of death in the U.S. for adults ages 18 to 45. How can anyone seriously argue that a drug 50 times more potent than heroin that almost always proves to be fatal when ingested should ever be legal?

Despite this crisis, the President did not request a single additional penny for the border crisis or the fentanyl crisis in the funding request for the CR. That is despicable.

Again, these products are manufactured illegally and are largely brought to the United States through the southern border. To save lives, we must secure the border and halt the flow of fentanyl.

I have visited the border several times to see this crisis firsthand. Unfortunately, our President has never visited our southern border. Never been there. Not even once.

With a record-high number of illegal immigrants, smugglers and cartels are using this as an opportunity to traffic more fentanyl substances.

Unfortunately, President Biden and his administration have elected to leave our border wide open, inviting drug traffickers to bring fentanyl substances into the country and distribute it in our streets.

This should not be a partisan issue. Fentanyl does not discriminate. It doesn't care if you are a Republican or a Democrat.

The individuals manufacturing and distributing fentanyl and its analogues are criminal, and they are killing us. This is not an issue that is going away. It is only getting worse every day.

If the President would visit the border, he would be able to talk to the agents firsthand and see for himself just how serious the issue is. Our communities are at risk, and our loved ones are dying. President Biden has ignored this public health crisis for far too long.

It is past time to make this scheduling classification permanent, and I am proud to support the HALT Fentanyl Act to do just that.

Mr. Speaker, let's pass this bill, secure the border, stem the tide of the growing fentanyl crisis, and save lives.

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