[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 89 (Thursday, May 25, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E498]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              HALT ALL LETHAL TRAFFICKING OF FENTANYL ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. SCOTT FITZGERALD

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 24, 2023

  Mr. FITZGERALD. Mr. Chair, I rise in strong support of H.R. 467, the 
HALT Fentanyl Act.
  This critical legislation accomplishes a top legislative priority I 
have been advocating since coming to Congress, which would permanently 
classify fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I drugs.
  I'd like to share two moving stories of constituents from my district 
taken from their families too soon. Archie Badura, of Oconomowoc, 
tragically passed away at the age of 19, due to an accidental overdose 
in 2014. Since then, his mother, Lauri Badura has dedicated herself to 
advocate on behalf of those struggling with mental health and substance 
abuse and started a grassroots organization called, ``Saving Others For 
Archie'' to help fight the opioid epidemic. Logan Rachwal (Rockwall), 
of Pewaukee, who was also 19 and a freshman at the University of 
Wisconsin-Milwaukee, passed away in 2021 from an overdose of three 
different forms of fentanyl, His parents, Erin and Rick Rachwal, also 
started an organization, the Love, Logan Foundation, to work to end the 
stigma surrounding mental health and substance abuse disorder and raise 
awareness of the dangers of fentanyl and other illicit substances.
  As a father and grandfather, this issue hits close to home. No parent 
should have to experience the pain the Badura and Rachwal families have 
had to endure. We need strong congressional action on fentanyl, and we 
need the permanent designation of fentanyl-related substances to 
Schedule I. I want to thank Congressman Griffith for leading this 
effort alongside Congressman Latta.
  I strongly urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

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