Sorensen, Vasquez, Chavez-DeRemer Lead Bipartisan Stop Fentanyl at the Border Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Thursday, July 11, 2024, Congressman Eric Sorensen (IL-17), alongside Congressman Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) and Congresswoman Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-05) introduced the bipartisan Stop Fentanyl at the Border Act. This bill would provide increased funding, technology and staffing for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in order to keep our communities safe and combat the growing fentanyl crisis.
“I have said from day one that we need to secure our southern border. And it is critical that we stop the flow of illegal drugs like fentanyl that are hurting American families. When I visited the southern border on a bipartisan trip in April, I heard directly from our border patrol officers about their lack of tools to stop the illicit drugs from coming across. That is unacceptable; we must provide our border security agents with tools, resources, and innovative technologies to secure our border. That's why I am proud to join Congressman Vasquez and Congresswoman Chavez-DeRemer to introduce our bipartisan Stop Fentanyl at the Border Act,” said Sorensen. “I have neighbors back home in Illinois who have an empty seat at their dinner table because they lost a loved one to this deadly drug. I remain committed to making sure our law enforcement officers at the southern border have what they need to do their jobs so we can make our communities safer for Illinois families.”
“It’s time to stop talking about detaining fentanyl at our ports of entry and time to start doing something about it. Millions of Americans and their families are begging Congress for relief and now is the time to act. I’m proud to work with my Republican and Democratic colleagues, Congresswoman Chavez-DeRemer and Congressman Sorensen, on this common sense solution to help end this national crisis,” said Vasquez. “I’ve met with countless Customs and Border Patrol agents and have seen detection investments in inspection technology work right here on our New Mexico borders. Our bill provides funding to support more officers and technology to stop the deadly influx of this drug into our communities. The Stop Fentanyl at the Border Act should be brought up for a House vote as expediently as possible.”
“Oregon had the highest rate of fentanyl overdose deaths in the nation last year, and Portland police have already seized more fentanyl-laced pills and powder this year than in all of 2023 combined. During recent meetings with local law enforcement, police officers acknowledged that our southern border is a first line of defense against these dangerous and deadly substances,” Chavez-DeRemer said. “I’m honored to co-lead the bipartisan and bicameral Stop Fentanyl at the Border Act to ensure border agents have the funding needed to staff up and deploy more detection technology to protect our communities.”
The opioid crisis continues to devastate hundreds of thousands of American families as deadly, illicit narcotics are smuggled into the county at increasing rates. Fentanyl-related overdoses are responsible for over 70,000 deaths a year in the U.S. This bipartisan bill addresses CBP’s lack of necessary personnel, technology and resources to prevent these deadly substances from entering the United States.
The bill also focuses on preventing the illegal exportation of goods, currency and firearms, which are often linked to drug trafficking.
U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) introduced the Senate version of the bill earlier this year.
Congressman Eric Sorensen serves on the House Committee on Agriculture and the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. Prior to serving in Congress, Sorensen was a local meteorologist in Rockford and the Quad Cities for nearly 20 years. His district includes Illinois’ Quad Cities, Rockford, Peoria, and Bloomington-Normal.
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