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[Page H2106]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY ON OUR SOUTHERN BORDER
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from
Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson) for 5 minutes.
Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I rise today to discuss
the issue that is facing Americans across the Nation: the opioids
crisis.
The 2018 National Drug Threat Assessment, a comprehensive guide
published by the Drug Enforcement Administration, indicates that
illegal drug use continues to rise. It cites Mexican transnational
criminal organizations as America's greatest enemy in the war against
drugs. While these criminal organizations are bringing a wide variety
of illegal drugs across our southern border, I am particularly worried
about their role in spreading the opioid crisis.
Thousands of pounds of opioids are smuggled across our southern
border every year. Just last year, the DEA seized more than 17,000
pounds of heroin in the United States. About 39 percent of this was
seized at the southern border.
Another opioid that has devastated communities across America is
fentanyl. As we started to understand the scope of the opioid crisis
facing our Nation, the CDC says doctors started prescribing less and
less pharmaceutical fentanyl. But fentanyl overdoses remained steady as
prescription rates dropped, meaning that illicitly manufactured
fentanyl is one of the main drivers of the opioid crisis.
Illicit fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is produced in China and
Mexico. It is either smuggled into the United States through the mail
from China or across our southern border from Mexico. In 2017, Customs
and Border Patrol agents seized nearly 1,500 pounds of fentanyl at the
border. Considering fentanyl is 50 to 100 times more potent than
morphine, last year's seizures accounted for millions of potential
overdoses and deaths.
But it is easy to discuss the amount of illegal drugs that have been
seized at the border. It is easy to discuss the need for change. The
hardest part is discussing the human toll that this crisis has taken.
Madam Speaker, last year more Americans died of a drug overdose than
in any other recorded year. In 2017, overdoses killed more than 70,000
Americans, and more than 28,000 of these deaths were related to
synthetic opioids such as fentanyl.
Our country is facing a crisis, and action is necessary. That is why
I was proud to stand with President Trump and support H.J. Res. 31.
This appropriations bill included provisions that are vital to my
congressional district and that will bring the fight against opioids to
the front lines: the southern border.
Although I was disappointed that my Democratic colleagues didn't
include more to combat this crisis, I was pleased that it included
funding for 55 miles of wall on the southern border. Walls work, and we
need to continue the construction of this wall. This is why President
Trump's national emergency declaration is necessary.
But, Madam Speaker, tomorrow House Democrats will bring up a measure
to block President Trump's emergency declaration, H.J. Res. 46. They
say the wall is immoral. They say it is cruel. I say we need decisive
action to fight the opioid crisis, and this is the first step in the
right direction.
Since President Carter, there have been 31 national emergencies
declared. President Clinton declared 6, and President Obama declared 10
that are still in place. All 31 national emergencies recognized a dire
threat to the American people and took action. By declaring this
national emergency, President Trump is taking action against a threat
that killed 70,000 Americans in 2017 alone.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on H.J. Res. 46.
Support our President and save American lives.
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