WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) spoke about the concerning rapid increase of fentanyl overdoses in Wyoming during a Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee hearing titled, “Stopping the Flow of Fentanyl: Public Awareness and Legislative Solutions.”
“Every state is a border state right now when it comes to fentanyl,” said Lummis. “We know that fentanyl, precursor chemicals and many of the traffickers themselves are bringing this poison into our country via the southern border. It is the crisis at the border and the failed policies at the border that are the chief contributor to the deaths of more than 73,000 Americans in 2022.”
The hearing featured Fraternal Order of Police National President Patrick Yoes, Retired Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) Special Operations Division Assistant Special Agent in Charge Christopher J. Urben and country music star and addiction recovery advocate Jason DeFord aka ‘Jelly Roll’ as witnesses.
Background:
- The chaos at the border has fueled a drug epidemic across the country including in Wyoming, where drug overdoses have doubled in the last six years.
- In June of last year, police seized more than 9000 fentanyl pills in a single bust in Laramie County.
- Murderous drug cartels have seen their profits soar under President Biden, bringing in $13 billion in 2021 from human trafficking alone.
Click here to watch Senator Lummis’ remarks in the hearing.
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