Testing, Rapid Analysis, and Narcotic Quality Research Act

Floor Speech

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Ms. LOFGREN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1734, the TRANQ Research Act, a bill that I was proud to cosponsor, but I need to thank especially our colleagues, Representatives Yadira Caraveo and Mike Collins, for leading this legislation, as well as Chairman Frank Lucas for his support.

Synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl, have taken a terrible toll on communities all across the country, including in my own district. Fentanyl is now involved in more deaths of Americans under 50 than any other cause of death.

As if the opioid epidemic wasn't bad enough already, our communities now have to deal with various chemicals being added to these drugs that ``enhance'' their effects and make them harder to detect.

One chemical that criminals have started to use is a common animal tranquilizer called xylazine. When added to fentanyl, this animal tranquilizer can have terrible side effects, including horrible wounds at the injection site.

These additives are also consequential to our first responders and to law enforcement as they deal with these drugs on the street. Drug mixtures usually contain a very small amount of synthetic opioids, which makes it difficult to detect and hard to identify new variants. Even small amounts of some drugs can be dangerous for law enforcement and public health officials to handle.

This bill would address these challenges by leveraging NIST's unique research capabilities to help develop technologies to quickly characterize and safely handle street drugs.

For decades, NIST, the Nation's measurement laboratory, has helped to provide safe and effective drug detection techniques and handling practices. NIST also collects and analyzes drug samples in circulation to help health authorities, as well as law enforcement, better respond to this crisis. This bill would codify, as well as enhance, those ongoing efforts.

This is a fantastic example of how we can activate the unique expertise in our government laboratories to benefit communities across the country. We can use science to make law enforcement and first responders safer and help fight this drug epidemic.

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Ms. LOFGREN. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Colorado (Ms. Caraveo) and recognize her leadership on this matter.

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Ms. LOFGREN. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Stevens), a valued member of our committee.

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Ms. LOFGREN. Madam Speaker, I am prepared to close and yield myself the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, this is another example of how the Science Committee can successfully follow our history of bipartisan work for the well- being of our country--two freshmen coming together for something that is important.

Madam Speaker, I also will mention that Representative Caraveo is not just Representative Caraveo. She is Dr. Caraveo. She comes with significant expertise to this body and especially to the Science Committee. We are grateful to her constituents for sending her to us.

She, like Mr. Collins, has only been here several months, but she has already shown leadership, a focus on law enforcement and health, and a real willingness to work on a bipartisan basis to solve problems that face our country.

Madam Speaker, I thank Representatives Collins and Caraveo for their hard work, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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