[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 123 (Wednesday, July 14, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S4875]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                Fentanyl

  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, the countdown is on. Today marks the 
beginning of 100 days until the critical and lifesaving authority 
placing fentanyl-related substances in schedule I expires. In 100 days 
that expires.
  Congress has extended this authority multiple times, most recently in 
May. However, when choosing how long to extend this authority, Congress 
shortchanged itself by providing only 5 months to contemplate how to 
permanently control fentanyl analogs. I pushed for a longer extension, 
even spearheading bipartisan legislation that would have extended this 
authority into the next year, but my colleagues on the other side of 
the aisle insisted that 5 months was sufficient to work with the 
administration to find a permanent solution scheduling fentanyl-related 
substances.
  I had skepticism about this when the 5-month extension passed in May, 
and I have even more skepticism now. That is because we are only 100 
days away from losing this essential authority and the administration 
still has not indicated how it intends to solve this problem. So 
Congress is operating in the dark.
  The administration says that a legislative proposal will be sent to 
Congress as early as next month. But this proposal won't be a done deal 
once it arrives on Capitol Hill because, you know, Presidents propose, 
Congress disposes.
  If it doesn't include measures to protect vulnerable communities, to 
prevent more drug overdose victims, and proactively deter and punish 
drug traffickers, then it won't be enough to solve the problems of a 
drug--fentanyl--killing several hundred thousand people.
  I have been beating the drum on scheduling fentanyl analogs for a 
long period of time because it is a fight worth having. We simply can't 
afford to let these deadly substances go unscheduled.
  What happens if we don't schedule fentanyl analogs in the next 100 
days? Well, it is pretty obvious. Opioid-related deaths fueled by 
fentanyl analogs increased by 35 percent in my State of Iowa. What 
about the other 49 States? But 35 percent in Iowa last year. That 
happens to be in line with nationwide trends. So deaths will continue 
to rise if we don't buckle down and get onto this issue of scheduling 
fentanyl schedule I on a permanent basis.
  Also, according to the Customs and Border Patrol, so far this year, 
enough fentanyl and its analogs have been seized to kill the entire 
population of the United States not once, but 10 times over.
  Some may view drug crimes as victimless. You need to tell that to the 
hundreds of thousands of families who have lost their brother, sister, 
parent, or child to fentanyl.
  Tell that to Rob and Deb Courtney, the parents of Chad Courtney from 
North Liberty, IA. Chad died 5 years ago because of fentanyl. He used 
painkillers and then turned to abusing heroin. Rod and Deb tried to 
help their son through rehab and treatment. Then one day they received 
the call that they had been dreading. Their son died because a drug 
dealer laced heroin with a deadly fentanyl substance. Rod said that one 
of the last memories he has of his son was picking him up from 
treatment and Chad stating, ``I just want to make a difference.''
  We owe it to Chad and the other 36,359 victims of fentanyl-related 
overdose deaths to make a difference now, and that means passing 
legislation that schedules fentanyl and its analogs permanently.
  Congress can ensure that we put people over profits and communities 
over cartels by permanently scheduling fentanyl-related substances. I 
don't doubt that my colleagues on both sides of the aisle want to 
protect their constituents. Nobody wants more overdose deaths in their 
home States. So let's work together to put this issue to rest at last.
  Starting today, the countdown is on. As I said in the beginning, 100 
more days. I hope the administration and my Senate colleagues are ready 
to get to work on permanently scheduling fentanyl-related substances. I 
know that I am ready.
  I yield the floor.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Wyoming