[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 89 (Thursday, May 25, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E494]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              HALT ALL LETHAL TRAFFICKING OF FENTANYL ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. VAL T. HOYLE

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 24, 2023

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 467) to 
     amend the Controlled Substances Act with respect to the 
     scheduling of fentanyl-related substances, and for other 
     purposes:

  Ms. HOYLE of Oregon. Mr. Chair, today I will vote in support of H.R. 
467, the Halt All Lethal Trafficking of (HALT) Fentanyl Act. This 
legislation permanently classifies all fentanyl-related substances as 
Schedule I drugs under the Controlled Substances Act, and it allows for 
expedited research into these substances.
  While H.R. 467 is not perfect, it takes needed steps to help save 
lives and reduce the supply and availability of illicitly manufactured 
fentanyl-related substances.
  As President Biden has stated, placing fentanyl-related substances 
into Schedule I will provide law enforcement with the resources they 
need to tackle the manufacturing and trafficking of fentanyl-related 
substances. It will also close loopholes that allow drug traffickers to 
evade the law by altering the chemical makeup of fentanyl.
  In addition, H.R. 467's provisions to expand research into fentanyl 
and fentanyl-related substances will improve our understanding of these 
substances, including increasing the potential of finding more 
effective treatments for overdose victims.
  But let me be clear: H.R. 467 is a blunt instrument--it does not do 
enough to comprehensively address the fentanyl crisis. Instead of 
working with congressional Democrats to put together a bipartisan bill 
to comprehensively tackle this crisis, the House Republican majority 
chose to write this bill in a partisan fashion.
  As a result, H.R. 467 leaves out important solutions for addressing 
the fentanyl crisis, including expanding access to treatment, testing, 
and education. That's why I'm a cosponsor of H.R. 3375, the STOP 
Fentanyl Overdoses Act, a bipartisan bill to expand access to overdose 
reversal medications, like Narcan, and offer medication treatment for 
opioid use disorder (OUD) to incarcerated individuals to prevent 
relapses.
  Most people who die from a fentanyl overdose don't know that what 
they're consuming could be life-threatening. That's why I'm a cosponsor 
of the bipartisan H.R. 3563, the Secure Testing Resources Instead of 
Prosecuting (STRIP) Act, which would allow for wider access to fentanyl 
test strips to help avoid preventable overdoses and deaths.
  Tragically, fentanyl-related overdose deaths have impacted far too 
many families in my congressional district and across the country. 
Youth drug overdose deaths have more than doubled nationwide since 
2019, and they have more than tripled in Oregon during that same time 
period. This is mainly due to the rapid spread of illicitly 
manufactured fentanyl.
  One death by overdose is one too many.
  We must be proactive in educating youth in our communities about the 
dangers of fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances. That's why I was 
proud to join Oregon's Congressional delegation in sending a letter 
urging the Department of Education to increase fentanyl awareness and 
drug-prevention education in schools.
  If the Senate takes up H.R. 467, I encourage Senators to work in a 
bipartisan fashion to improve this bill and add more comprehensive 
solutions to address the fentanyl crisis.
  Fentanyl overdoses do not fall on party lines. Neither should 
legislation to stop it. We must pass a bill into law as soon as 
possible in order to prevent more deaths from fentanyl overdose.

                          ____________________