Baldwin Backed Legislation to Crack Down on Fentanyl Traffickers Heads to President’s Desk

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) announced the bipartisan Fentanyl Eradication and Narcotics Deterrence (FEND) Off Fentanyl Act, legislation to combat the flow of deadly fentanyl into the United States, passed out of the Senate as part of the National Security Supplemental Package and now heads to the President’s desk.

“In recent years, fentanyl has killed thousands of Wisconsinites, devastating families and communities in every corner of our state. I’ve heard from mothers who lost children, cops and paramedics on the front lines, and advocates – all demanding we do more to end this crisis. Yesterday, Democrats and Republicans came together to do just that and pass legislation to crack down on the chemical suppliers in China and drug cartels in Mexico that are fueling this epidemic,” said Senator Baldwin. “There’s more work to do, but this legislation is a step in the right direction toward a future where no more American lives are cut short by fentanyl.”

The FEND Off Fentanyl Act aims to stop the flow of deadly fentanyl into our country by choking off the income source of those who traffic synthetic opioids. The legislation is a sanctions and anti-money laundering bill that will strengthen current law to more effectively disrupt illicit opioid supply chains, from the chemical suppliers in China to the cartels that traffic the drugs from Mexico. The bill also ensures that sanctions are imposed not only on the illicit drug trade, but also on the money laundering that makes it profitable.

The Fraternal Order of Police, the National Association of Police Officers, the National Sheriff’s Association, and the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association have called for the passage of the FEND Off Fentanyl Act.

The United States is facing the worst drug crisis in history. In 2021, there were over 1,400 deaths in Wisconsin related to opioids, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. Nationwide in 2021, nearly 107,000 Americans died from an overdose, and 65% of overdose deaths were caused by fentanyl.

A one-pager on this legislation is available here.

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