[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 173 (Thursday, October 26, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1443-E1444]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS TRAFFICKING EMERGENCY RESPONSE BY DETECTING 
                INCOMING CONTRABAND WITH TECHNOLOGY ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                  HON. HENRY C. ``HANK'' JOHNSON, JR.

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, October 23, 2017

  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support H.R. 2142, the 
International Narcotics Trafficking Emergency Response by Detecting 
Incoming Contraband with Technology (INTERDICT) Act, to aid U.S. 
Customs and Border Protection officers with narcotics screenings.
  In 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 
determined that fentanyl and synthetic opioids took the lives of 64,070 
people, a 21 percent increase from the previous year. In my home state, 
the Georgia

[[Page E1444]]

Department of Public Health found that the number of deaths due to 
opioid overdoses is now nearly equal to the deaths from motor vehicle 
crashes. In the 4th District alone, over 200 lives were tragically lost 
due to this horrible epidemic. As a country, we can no longer afford 
inaction on an issue that has turned into an epidemic under our watch.
  H.R. 2142 requires the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to 
increase the amount of chemical screenings to prevent the smuggling of 
fentanyl, opioids, and other narcotics into the country, either through 
mailing services or through a carrier. The bill also mandates that 
sufficient funds and employees, including scientists, are available to 
ensure thorough screenings and resources available at all operational 
hours. By giving our CBP officers a better chance of detecting these 
illicit drugs at the border, we may be able to save the lives of 
hundreds, if not thousands of Americans. Only with our action can we, 
as members of Congress, start to make a meaningful difference in this 
fight that is ravaging our country.
  This is why I have strongly favored more funding to prevent the 
spread of the opioid crisis in the past, and will continue to fight for 
more resources that will end the opioid addiction crisis. For this 
reason, I am pleased to support H.R. 2142.

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