Detection Equipment and Technology Evaluation to Counter the Threat of Fentanyl and Xylazine Act of 2024

Floor Speech

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Mr. LaLOTA. Mr. Speaker, the United States of America, the greatest nation the world has ever known, is facing an unprecedented crisis as deadly drugs like fentanyl and xylazine devastate our communities. It is imperative that our leaders here in Congress work together to confront this epidemic and save lives.

Last year, there were over 107,000 drug overdose deaths. Of those deaths, over 81,000 involved opioids. Based on prior years' statistics, we estimate that fentanyl was responsible for nearly 90 percent of all synthetic opioid-related deaths. That is almost 73,000 fentanyl deaths in just 1 year.

These staggering statistics are not just numbers. They represent real lives lost, real families shattered, and real communities that are forever changed for the worse. It is the biggest cause of death of Americans ages 18-45, and it does not discriminate based on race or economic class. It kills in each of our districts--170 fentanyl deaths per congressional district per year on average.

Even more troubling is xylazine. Known on the streets as tranq, it is now being mixed with fentanyl, making the drug even more deadly and more difficult to detect.

We must do more, more to get these dangerous substances off our streets and ensure our law enforcement officers have every tool and resource necessary to combat this crisis effectively, which is why I was proud to introduce the DETECT Fentanyl and Xylazine Act, a bipartisan bill that will do just that.

This legislation is not just a response to the ever-growing threat of illicit narcotics like fentanyl and xylazine. It is a critical step in our fight to protect our communities and to save lives.

Too many Americans have experienced the devastation caused by illicit drugs like fentanyl and xylazine. These substances have infiltrated our neighborhoods, torn families apart, and claimed countless lives across our great Nation. From Long Island to Los Angeles, no community has been spared, and for far too long, illegal drug smugglers have made it their mission to poison our streets with these illicit substances.

Every day, our law enforcement officers, those on the front lines of this battle, are forced to confront these threats with often outdated and inadequate tools. That is why this legislation is so important.

The act will authorize the Department of Homeland Security to conduct critical research and development, testing, and evaluation of state-of- the-art detection equipment. This legislation will also empower Federal, State, local, and Tribal law enforcement agencies with the best technology available to detect and intercept even the smallest amounts of these dangerous substances.

This legislation will also create an important new statutory responsibility for the Science and Technology Directorate at DHS to focus on three key areas: one, developing portable detection equipment; two, improving technologies to separate complex mixtures; and, three, leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Let me be clear. This is not just about equipment and technology. This is about the lives that we have a duty to protect. It is about ensuring that a child does not lose a parent to a lethal dose of fentanyl. It is about preventing the next wave of overdose deaths that leaves yet another community in mourning. It is about making sure that every law enforcement officer has the tools they need to safely and effectively do their job.

I thank my friend from the other side of the aisle and fellow Homeland Security Committee member, Congressman Lou Correa, for partnering with me in introducing this critical bipartisan legislation and Senators Cornyn, Ossoff, and Sinema for their partnership in the Senate in this vital legislation.

I also thank the coalitions of organizations representing law enforcement professionals, public health advocates, and local governments across the Nation that have endorsed this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the DETECT Fentanyl and Xylazine Act. Let's give our law enforcement the resources they need, let's protect our communities, and let's save lives.

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