[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 43 (Monday, March 11, 2019)]
[House]
[Page H2618]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       THE ONGOING OPIOID CRISIS

  (Mr. KATKO asked and was given permission to address the House for 
one minute.)
  Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring attention to the role 
of fentanyl and other synthetic analogs in the ongoing opioid crisis 
facing our Nation.
  Thousands of Americans die each year as a result of overdoses caused 
by these dangerous substances, which mimic the effects of street drugs, 
but are significantly more powerful and more dangerous.
  During last week's Homeland Security hearing, I asked Secretary 
Nielsen about any recent significant seizures of fentanyl at America's 
borders. Secretary Nielsen's response was absolutely frightening, as 
she informed the committee that the amount of fentanyl seized by ICE in 
the last year alone was enough to kill every living American twice.
  This statistic should trouble each and every one of my colleagues. 
Congress must take immediate action to ensure law enforcement has all 
the necessary tools to prevent illicit synthetic opioids from entering 
the country.
  My bill last Congress, the Stop the Importation and Trafficking of 
Synthetic Analogues Act, would have addressed these issues, and I 
intend to reintroduce that bill in a similar legislation form in the 
coming months.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in the critical effort 
to combat substance abuse and save American lives.

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