Washington, DC—February 10, 2022....Today, Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3), Congressman Bryan Steil (WI-1), and more than 100 other members urged President Biden to take immediate action to stem the fentanyl scourge coming from China and across the southern border and support the permanent Schedule 1 classification of fentanyl related substances.

Congressman Womack said, “Chinese producers have exploited Mexico’s trafficking networks through our porous southern border to unleash poison across our communities. Illicit fentanyl is now the number one cause of death of Americans aged 18-45. We don’t need more stolen lives and devastated families. President Biden should be using every tool to hold these drug cartels responsible. Permanently making fentanyl a Schedule I drug to ensure criminals face severe consequences and securing our border is exactly where he should start.”

“Fentanyl kills more people age 18-45 than car accidents, suicide, or COVID-19,” said Congressman Steil. “We cannot stand by and watch as Americans are being killed by the flood of fentanyl related substances coming into our country.  It is past time for President Biden to take seriously the need to secure our border, and make permanent fentanyl related substances Schedule 1 classification.”

Fentanyl related substances have been on a temporary scheduling for Schedule I classification. The current Schedule I classification will expire February 18, 2022, when government funding expires. The lawmakers are seeking to make the Schedule I classification of fentanyl and fentanyl related substances permanent, which means it has no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.

Full text of the letter:

Dear President Biden:

Drug overdoses claim more American lives each year than ever before. Fentanyl and fentanyl related substances are fueling the overdose epidemic, killing 64,178 Americans between May 2020 and April 2021 and making up 64 percent of total U.S. overdose deaths. This highly lethal synthetic opioid is 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin. The flood of fentanyl related substances pouring across our borders and the looming February 18 expiration deadline on fentanyl related substances' current Schedule I classification raise grave concerns for our communities. As you are aware, Congress is considering legislation that would temporarily extend the expiration deadline to March 11, 2022. We write to you today to urge your administration to take immediate action to stem the fentanyl scourge coming from China and across our southern border and continue to support making fentanyl related substances' Schedule I classification permanent.

As you know, preserving fentanyl related substances' Schedule I classification ensures law enforcement has the tools they need to combat this threat and take swift action against traffickers of this deadly drug. We understand the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has requested the required scientific and medical evaluation of the class of drugs by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and they have already begun their 8-factor analysis. Congress is also working to pass legislation that would achieve this important goal. We urge you to support the preservation of fentanyl related substances' status to save lives.

As you are aware, China has been the principal source of the precursor agents from which fentanyl is produced. Fentanyl is then manufactured in foreign underground labs and smuggled across our southern border. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reported a 1,066% increase in fentanyl seized at eight Southern Texas ports during Fiscal Year 2021. Your administration's failure to properly secure our southern border and hold China accountable for fentanyl production directly contribute to the crisis in our communities.

We again urge you to take immediate and decisive action to protect American communities from this deadly drug. We stand ready to assist in this important mission.

Sincerely,

Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3) has represented Arkansas’s Third Congressional District since 2011. He is a member of the House Appropriations Committee.

womack.house.gov

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