Sen. Toomey, other lawmakers fight fentanyl imports | Local News

During the State of the Union address, the president highlighted the continued devastation caused by fentanyl, a deadly synthetic opioid that is coming into the country illegally at unprecedented levels.

Much of the illicit fentanyl in the United States originates in China.

To hold accountable countries that turn a blind eye to this problem, U.S. Sens. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) and Doug Jones (D-Ala.) along with U.S. Reps. James Sensenbrenner (R-Wis 5th) and Gerry Connolly (D-Va.11th) are introducing the bipartisan Blocking Deadly Fentanyl Imports Act. The legislation imposes new penalties on fentanyl-exporting nations like China that do not adhere to international narcotics control standards.

Under the Blocking Deadly Fentanyl Imports Act, a nation exporting illicit fentanyl would be ineligible for U.S. taxpayer-subsidized foreign aid or Export-Import Bank loans if it fails to cooperate with U.S. narcotics control efforts. These conditions already apply to any nation identified by the Department of State as a major producer or trafficker of illicit heroin, marijuana, cocaine, and methamphetamine and its precursor chemicals.

“Illicit fentanyl from outside our borders has already prematurely ended far too many American lives,” said Sen. Toomey. “As fentanyl can be fifty times as potent as heroin, even small, difficult to detect amounts can be lethal, which is why it’s important to stop this problem at its source. This bipartisan legislation is a commonsense update to existing law that will hold the nations producing illicit fentanyl accountable, whether it be China or wherever the threat emerges next.”

“We have seen an increase in substance use deaths in Alabama and across the country because of the rise of illicit fentanyl,” said Sen. Jones. “Even small amounts of it can be deadly for our first responders should they be exposed. Our dedicated Customs and Border Protection officers recently made the largest seizure in U.S. history of fentanyl during a stop at a border checkpoint. This bipartisan bill will add to those efforts to help stop illicit fentanyl from being trafficked across our borders and into our communities.”

“Americans are now more likely to die from opioid-related overdoses than from car accidents, and fentanyl is the drug most responsible for fatalities,” said Rep. Sensenbrenner. “Protecting our communities from illicit fentanyl and fentanyl analogues will require an all-hands-on-deck effort, including better cooperation from the foreign nations from which these deadly drugs are produced and trafficked into our country. This bipartisan legislation will hold these countries accountable for failing to cooperate adequately with our drug enforcement efforts. I’m grateful to Sens. Toomey and Jones and Congressman Connolly for their leadership on this important bill.”

“Fentanyl is destroying families and driving overdose deaths across our country,” said Rep. Connolly. “Just last week, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol seized more than 254 pounds of fentanyl at an official port of entry, their largest confiscation in history. Our bipartisan bill will provide more tools in the growing global fight against this dangerous drug by encouraging countries to cooperate with U.S. drug enforcement efforts. I thank Sens. Toomey and Jones, and Rep. Sensenbrenner for their leadership on this issue.”