News Release
Rep. Mike Garcia, R-Santa Clarita, delivered a speech on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday in support of the HALT Fentanyl Act.
The act would permanently classify fentanyl analogues, or chemically similar drugs to fentanyl, as Schedule l drugs and would provide law enforcement with the proper tools to get fentanyl traffickers off the streets.
According to Garcia’s office, his district has the most impacted communities in Los Angeles County — with nearly 100 reported deaths caused by fentanyl poisoning in CA-27 last year and nearly 50 this year.
“Right now, we are failing as a nation. We are failing to recognize the severity of this crisis, we are failing to hold China accountable for their role, and we are failing to protect the people who most need it: our children,” said Garcia. “We’ve lost young Americans with bright futures like Daniel Puerta from my district, who was a year away from graduating when he was poisoned by a counterfeit pill sold over Snapchat. For Daniel’s memory and the memory of countless others, we must act.”
The bill was passed by the House on Wednesday, 289-133, with bipartisan support.
