Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer was in Albion, New York, on Tuesday to announce the “Fend Off Fentanyl Act,” a legislative effort aimed at combating the flow of fentanyl into the United States.
The bill would give the president emergency powers to halt the flow of fentanyl from overseas, and would specifically sanction China and Mexico for their roles in the U.S. fentanyl epidemic. It also declares international fentanyl trafficking a national emergency. Schumer noted the urgency of the issue, stating, “They’re getting deadlier and deadlier and they’re causing more and more deaths.”
In addition to the fentanyl-focused legislation, Schumer discussed the “Tranq Research Act,” which aims to curtail the spread of Xylazine, commonly known as Tranq.
Though used legitimately as a tranquilizer for large animals, Schumer emphasized the need to prevent its misuse among drug users. He previously outlined a plan in March to provide $537 million to local law enforcement to crack down on the distribution of these drugs, and affirmed that the federal government took action to stop both substances after he raised the issue.
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