Wenstrup, Gonzales, Garbarino: ‘Fentanyl should be listed as a weapon of mass destruction’

Legislation led by U.S. Reps. Brad Wenstrup (R-OH), Tony Gonzales (R-TX), and Andrew Garbarino (R-NY) would direct the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security to designate illicit fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction.

“As a physician, a lawmaker, and an Army veteran, I believe it is time we declare illicit fentanyl what it is: a weapon of mass destruction,” Rep. Wenstrup said. “In the past year, synthetic opioids like fentanyl killed someone every seven minutes.”

Rep, Wenstrup on May 25 sponsored the Stop Our Scourge Act of 2023, H.R. 3666, with seven GOP original cosponsors, including Reps. Gonzales and Garbarino to address illicit fentanyl entering the United States from foreign countries, according to a bill summary provided by the lawmakers.

“I am reintroducing the Stop Our Scourge Act along with Reps. Gonzales and Garbarino in order to stop the deadly scourge of illicit fentanyl flowing across our porous border wrecking devastation across every community in America, killing our families, neighbors and friends,” said Rep. Wenstrup. “I urge my colleagues to join me in working to solve this crisis.”

Rep. Gonzales noted that fentanyl overdose now ranks as the leading cause of death for adults in America. “I am proud to reintroduce this critical legislation alongside Congressmen Wenstrup and Garbarino to ensure our communities have the resources they need to combat this crisis,” he said. “The spread of illegal fentanyl has had a profound impact on communities across TX-23 and America, and I will continue to work with my colleagues to address the challenges posed by this epidemic.”

According to Rep. Garbarino, last week in Long Island, N.Y. police seized over six and a half pounds of fentanyl in a single bust. 

“By the estimate of the Nassau County DA, the haul was enough fentanyl to ‘wipe out the population of Nassau County,’” said the congressman. “Make no mistake, fentanyl is cheap, addictive, deadly, and making its way into our communities in alarming quantities.”

Fentanyl poses an imminent threat to the health and safety of Long Islanders, added Rep. Garbarino. “This legislation will not only make clear the dangers of fentanyl, but also require the administration to conduct an assessment of all current tools and capabilities that can be used to address this crisis,” he said.

U.S. Reps. Ann Wagner (R-MO) and John Joyce (R-PA) are among the other original cosponsors of H.R. 3666, which has been referred to the U.S. House Homeland Security Committee, the U.S. House Judiciary Committee, and the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee for consideration.