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Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Subcommittee on Health Chair Brett Guthrie (R-KY) today announced a subcommittee legislative hearing titled “Examining Proposals that Provide Access to Care for Patients and Support Research for Rare Diseases.”  "The committee is working to reauthorize key programs that provide access to care for mothers, children, cancer patients and first responders, as well as support research for rare diseases. This legislative hearing will give our members a chance to evaluate the effectiveness of these programs and discuss legislation to continue them,” said Chairs Rodgers and Guthrie.   The Chairs also added, “It is critical to protect young children from being subjected to experimental procedures that can cause irreversible damage, require medical care for life, and lead to permanent infertility. Funding for teaching programs at children’s hospitals should not go to institutions that conduct such procedures, which other countries are abandoning after reviewing the latest outcome data. We hope this Committee can come together and agree to stand up and protect the innocence of children.” Subcommittee on Health hearing titled “ Examining Proposals that Provide Access to Care for Patients and Support Research for Rare Diseases ”   WHAT: A subcommittee legislative hearing to discuss programs that provide access to care for mothers, children, cancer patients, and firefighters as well as research into rare diseases.  DATE : Wednesday, June 14, 2023   TIME : 10:30 AM EDT   LOCATION : 2322 Rayburn House Office Building   WITNESSES : Witnesses will be announced and are by invitation only.  LEGISLATION AND PROPOSALS UNDER CONSIDERATION:   H.R. 3226 , the PREEMIE Reauthorization Act of 2023 (Reps. Anna Eshoo, Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Robin Kelly, Jen Kiggans, Lisa Blunt Rochester, and Michael Burgess)    H.R. 3838 , the Preventing Maternal Deaths Reauthorization Act of 2023 (Reps. Michael Burgess, Diana DeGette, Buddy Carter, Robin Kelly, Kat Cammack, and Kathy Castor)   H.R. 3843 , the Action for Dental Health Act of 2023 (Reps. Robin Kelly and Mike Simpson)   H.R.__ , the Sickle Cell Disease and Other Heritable Blood Disorders Research, Surveillance, Prevention, and Treatment Act of 2023 (Reps. Michael Burgess, Danny Davis, and Buddy Carter)    H.R. 3821 , the Firefighter Cancer Registry Reauthorization Act of 2023 (Reps. Bill Pascrell, Brian Fitzpatrick, Steny Hoyer, and Mike Bost)   H.R. 2365 , the National Plan to End Parkinson’s Act (Reps. Gus Bilirakis and Paul Tonko)    H.R. 3391 , the Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act 2.0 (Reps. Jennifer Wexton, Tom Cole, Debbie Dingell, and Gus Bilirakis)    H.R. 3887 , the Children’s Hospital GME Support Reauthorization Act of 2023  (Rep. Dan Crenshaw) H.R. 3836 , the Medicaid Primary Care Improvement Act (Reps. Dan Crenshaw, Kim Schrier, Lloyd Smucker, and Earl Blumenauer)  This notice is at the direction of the Chair. The hearing will be open to the public and press and will be live streamed online at https://energycommerce.house.gov/ . If you have any questions concerning the hearing, please contact Jolie Brochin with the Committee staff at Jolie.Brochin@mail.house.gov . If you have any press-related questions, please contact Christopher Krepich at Christopher.Krepich@mail.house.gov .  

Washington, D.C. —  Subcommittee on Health Chair Brett Guthrie (R-KY) delivered the following opening statement at today’s Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee hearing titled “ Looking Back Before Moving Forward: Assessing CDC's Failures in Fulfilling its Mission .” Excerpts and highlights below: HOLDING THE CDC ACCOUNTABLE “Today’s hearing will focus on understanding the scope of what is wrong at the CDC so that we can begin to fix it. “This is not about villainizing the CDC, it’s about accountability. “Accountability for children kept out of school, who are dealing with mental, social, and emotional health issues, small business owners who watched their life’s work dry up, for people who lost their jobs because of vaccine mandates. “The CDC’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic created a crisis in confidence in the agency. “The pandemic made it overwhelmingly clear that the CDC has serious, foundational problems and the roots, in many cases, span multiple administrations.” RECKONING WITH THE SCOPE OF CDC’S COVID-19 FAILURES “From the start of the pandemic, it was clear how challenging the novel coronavirus would be to contain, which was made even more difficult because of how underprepared CDC was to respond to the emerging threat. “No doubt that a virus as transmissible as SARS-CoV-2 was always going to be difficult. But in the earliest days of the pandemic, the CDC’s faulty test kits set us back. “Without testing we could not effectively slow the spread of the virus when cases amounted to just a few embers. “People also counted on the CDC to provide timely and clear guidance based on the best available science to keep themselves and their loved ones safe. “Yet, time and again CDC’s guidance failed to meet this expectation and instead consistently issued guidance that lacked clarity and the best available science. “More consequentially, CDC’s guidance reflected the agency’s preferred policy outcomes or political considerations. “At its worst, CDC released guidance that was influenced by teachers’ unions and was a significant signal to states that they weren’t fully confident in schools’ ability to return to school safely, despite earlier versions of the guidance suggesting otherwise. “Our children are paying a terrible price academically, physically, and emotionally for the CDC’s shortcomings. “Bad science in CDC guidance, when used to justify mandates, destroyed lives. “CDC public communications on COVID-19 vaccines were just as bad. Simply put, CDC overpromised when it should have known better. “CDC leadership told the public that vaccines prevented transmission while the agency was receiving reports of breakthrough infections among the vaccinated. “CDC downplayed the existence of adverse events while it was receiving reports of post-vaccination myocarditis in young men. “The CDC’s decades of experience running mass vaccination programs should have prepared it to manage the administration of COVID-19 vaccines. “The CDC knows only 30 to 40% of people get an annual flu shot—that vaccine hesitancy did not just begin with the COVID-19 vaccine.” THE PATH FORWARD FOR THE CDC “It is going to be a long road to rebuild this trust—and the agency cannot go it alone. “Many of the CDC’s COVID-19 failures have their roots in longstanding problems at the agency. “The CDC needs to address its failures with openness and, frankly, humility. “I am deeply worried that CDC’s insular, academic culture will prevent it from learning the right lessons. “Outgoing Director Walensky launched a reorganization of the CDC. Whether it survives her departure is unclear. “Whether the reorganization would address CDC’s foundational problems is also unclear. “This committee intends on conducting oversight to ensure the agency gets back on track. “The CDC still hasn’t provided this Committee with the information needed to independently assess the reorganization. “As Chairman Griffith noted, a conclusory letter sent to us the night before a hearing isn’t sufficient, but I do look forward to obtaining more details from the agency about this restructuring plan in the coming weeks.” THE NEED TO AUTHORIZE THE CDC “I’ll close by noting that Congress is not without blame for the current state of the CDC. “The CDC has never been authorized, Congress has never—in a single voice—told the CDC what its mission is and is not. That must be fixed. “This Committee’s majority is committed to working on CDC reform. “Today’s hearing, Dr. Miller-Meeks’ RFI, and our ongoing oversight of CDC’s reorganization are the first steps towards getting the agency back on track. “In addition to this work, I look forward to our health legislative hearing next week to reauthorize immediate preparedness and response programs. “It is critical we come together to assure the American people the federal government is equipped for the immediate response for all types of public health hazards—such as a pandemic, or a chemical, nuclear, radiological, biological or cyber-attack.”

Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Subcommittee on Health Chair Brett Guthrie (R-KY) today announced a subcommittee legislative hearing titled “Legislative Solutions to Bolster Preparedness and Response for All Hazards and Public Health Security Threats.” “As public health threats and hazards evolve, so must our efforts to prepare and respond—whether they be chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, a cyberattack, or another emerging infectious disease. We must take lessons learned from past experiences as well as advice from experts in emerging fields to secure the safety and wellbeing of the American people. We look forward to discussing solutions to prepare for the next generation of threats and hazards that we may face,” said Chairs Rodgers and Guthrie.   Subcommittee on Health hearing titled “Legislative Solutions to Bolster Preparedness and Response for All Hazards and Public Health Security Threats.”   WHAT: A subcommittee legislative hearing to discuss solutions for preparedness and response to public health security threats and hazards.  DATE : Tuesday, June 13, 2023   TIME : 10:30 AM EDT   LOCATION : 2322 Rayburn House Office Building   WITNESSES : Witnesses will be announced and are by invitation only.  LEGISLATION AND PROPOSALS UNDER CONSIDERATION :  H.R. __ , To reauthorize certain programs under the Public Health Service Act with respect to public health security and all-hazards preparedness and response, and for other purposes. (Rep. Richard Hudson)  H.R. __ , the Public Health Guidance Transparency and Accountability Act (Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers)  H.R. __ , the PHEMCE Advisory Committee Act (Rep. Richard Hudson)   H.R. __ , the PHE Congressional Review Act of 2023 (Reps. Greg Murphy and Brett Guthrie)  H.R. __ , the Improving Contract Transparency for the SNS Act (Rep. Morgan Griffith)   H.R. __ , the Improving Contract Transparency at BARDA Act (Rep. Morgan Griffith)   H.R. __ , the Biosecurity Infrastructure for Operational (BIO) Early Warning Act (Reps. Dan Crenshaw and Scott Peters)   H.R. 3813 , the CDC Leadership Accountability Act (Rep. Brett Guthrie)    H.R. 3631 , the State Strategic Stockpile Act of 2023 (Reps. Buddy Carter and Chrissy Houlahan)  H.R. 3577 , the Medical and Health Stockpile Accountability Act of 2023 (Reps. Richard Hudson and Josh Gottheimer)  H.R. 3837 , the Improving Public Health Preparedness Act (Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks)  H.R. 3832 , the Disease X Act of 2023 (Reps. Lori Trahan, Michael Burgess, Dan Crenshaw, and Susie Lee)  H.R. 3613 , the Doctors at the Ready Act (Reps. Kim Schrier and Bill Johnson)  H.R. 2416 , To amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize a military and civilian partnership for trauma readiness grant program. (Reps. Michael Burgess and Kathy Castor)  H.R. 3840 , the Ensuring Sufficient Supply of Testing Act (Reps. Neal Dunn and Debbie Dingell)  H.R. 3795 , To amend the Public Health Service Act to require the development of a diagnostic testing preparedness plan to be used during public health emergencies, and for other purposes. (Reps. Greg Pence, Kim Schrier, Larry Bucshon, and Andre Carson)  H.R. 3703 , the Helping Evaluate Appropriate Logistical Infrastructure for National Government (HEALING) Response Act of 2023 (Reps. Bob Latta and Robin Kelly)  H.R. 3742 , To direct the Comptroller General of the United States to evaluate the Federal Government’s collection and sharing of public health data to respond to public health emergencies. (Reps. Scott Peters and Brett Guthrie)   H.R. 3820 , To amend the Public Health Service Act to strike the requirement that the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention be appointed by and with the advice and consent of the Senate (Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr.)  H.R. 3794 , the Fast-Track Logistics for Acquiring Supplies in a Hurry (FLASH) Act of 2023 (Rep. Robert Garcia)  H.R. 3791 , the Improving Data Accessibility Through Advancements (DATA) in Public Health Act (Reps. Lauren Underwood, Ami Bera, Kathy Castor, and Rosa DeLauro)  This notice is at the direction of the Chair. The hearing will be open to the public and press and will be live streamed online at https://energycommerce.house.gov/ . If you have any questions concerning the hearing, please contact Jolie Brochin with the Committee staff at Jolie.Brochin@mail.house.gov . If you have any press-related questions, please contact Christopher Krepich at Christopher.Krepich@mail.house.gov .

Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Subcommittee on Health Chair Brett Guthrie (R-KY), and Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Chair Morgan Griffith (R-VA), on behalf of the Health and Oversight Subcommittee Republicans, today sent a letter to Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Inspector General (IG) Christi Grimm. The letter highlights concerns surrounding improper Medicaid payments and challenges States face in maintaining accurate enrollment during and after the eligibility redetermination process.  “It is critical that CMS and States take action to reduce the number of improper Medicaid payments to ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent to care for the most vulnerable who Medicaid was designed to help,” Chairs Rodgers, Guthrie, and Griffith wrote.   Background :  In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), which included provisions for enhanced Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) of 6.2% for States and required continuous Medicaid coverage through the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE).  The PHE led to a surge in Medicaid enrollment, increasing from 70 million to nearly 95 million individuals.  As part of the 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act, States are authorized to start the process of redetermining Medicaid eligibility from April 1, 2023.  Research demonstrates that even before the COVID-19 pandemic, maintaining accurate Medicaid enrollment posed a significant challenge for CMS.  Past audits from the HHS IG have found inaccuracies in Medicaid enrollment resulted in improper payments.  The Chairs requested a briefing from the Office of the Inspector General as well as an audit that reviews and analyzes the following information regarding ineligible beneficiaries:  The reason for beneficiaries’ ineligibility  The types of factors and information considered at the time of enrollment  The causes of incorrect eligibility determinations  The approximate time individuals were ineligibly enrolled  The approximate dollar amount spent on recipients who were ineligible  The approximate dollar amount delivered to insurance companies on behalf of ineligible enrollees  CLICK HERE to read the letter to HHS IG Grimm. 

Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Subcommittee on Health Chair Brett Guthrie (R-KY) today announced a subcommittee field hearing titled "Addressing the Opioid Crisis: Examining the SUPPORT Act Five Years Later."  "With the fentanyl crisis raging on across our communities, it’s critical that we find ways to more effectively provide support for people struggling with substance use disorder. By strengthening programs that help people manage addiction and by lifting them out of despair with opportunities to live a full life, we can save lives and help people reach their full potential. Our members will hear from experts in the community and convene this hearing in Central Pennsylvania where the opioid epidemic has claimed tens of thousands of lives over the past decade—just as it has in Washington State, Kentucky, and other parts of the country,” said Chairs Rodgers and Guthrie.   Subcommittee on Health hearing titled "Addressing the Opioid Crisis: Examining the SUPPORT Act Five Years Later."   WHAT : A subcommittee field hearing to discuss the opioid crisis and reauthorizing key portions of the SUPPORT Act.  DATE : Friday, June 9, 2023  TIME : 9:30 AM ET  LOCATION : Gettysburg National Park Visitor's Center, 1195 Baltimore Pike, Gettysburg, PA 17325  This notice is at the direction of the Chair. The hearing will be open to the public and press and will be live streamed online at https://energycommerce.house.gov/ . If you have any questions concerning the hearing, please contact Jolie Brochin with the Committee staff at Jolie.Brochin@mail.house.gov . If you have any press-related questions, please contact Christopher Krepich at Christopher.Krepich@mail.house.gov .  

Did NIH Know that Decorated Scientist Planned to Conduct Gain-of-Function Research?  Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Subcommittee on Health Chair Brett Guthrie (R-KY), and Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Chair Morgan Griffith (R-VA), on behalf of the Health and Oversight subcommittee Republicans, sent a letter to the Department of Health and Human Services requesting that the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) top expert on pox viruses sit for a videotaped, transcribed interview regarding the mysterious discontinuation of his proposed experiment to supercharge the mpox virus.  BACKGROUND:   In a September 2022 Science article , Dr. Bernard Moss of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) discussed a specific mpox project:  From the article: “Moss has been trying for years to figure out the crucial difference between two variants of monkeypox virus: clade 2, which until recently was found only in West Africa and is now causing the global outbreak, and clade 1, believed to be much deadlier, which has caused outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo for many decades. He’s found that clade 1 virus can kill a mouse at levels 1000 times lower than those needed with clade 2. To find out why, Moss and his colleagues swapped dozens of clade 2 genes, one at a time, into clade 1 virus, hoping to see it become less deadly, but with no luck so far. Now, they are planning to try the opposite, endowing clade 2 virus with genes from its deadlier relative.”  The effect of the project would be to supercharge the less lethal but much more transmissible variant of the mpox virus that caused the recent U.S. epidemic by combining it with a highly lethal variant found only in the Congo Basin.  Energy and Commerce Republicans requested in a March 30, 2023, letter documents related to the experiment described in the Science article.  On April 26, 2023, NIH responded by noting the proposal did not go forward but did not explain how that occurred or how NIH could even be sure that the experiment was not already conducted.  KEY EXCERPT:   “You informed us that the study discussed by Dr. Moss 'has not been formally proposed, and NIAID has no plans to move forward with this research.' This is a stunning admission. Dr. Moss has been with the NIH since 1966, is one of the leading authorities on pox viruses, and one of the NIH’s most accomplished researchers. He has received numerous awards and prizes. He was elected to the National Academy of Sciences, American Academy of Microbiology, Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and president of the American Society for Virology. Dr. Moss is currently an editor of Virology and a member of several editorial boards. Dr. Moss’s comments to Science indicate to us that he gave the study in question much thought and effort, and that he believed in going forward with the mpox study. The admission that he did not formally propose this research, and the NIAID has no plans to pursue it seems extraordinary. It seems unlikely that Dr. Moss changed his mind. On the other hand, it is hard to believe the NIAID has apparently overruled one of its most highly respected scientists. These circumstances demand a detailed explanation about what happened with this research project publicized by Dr. Moss.”  CLICK HERE to read the full letter. 

Bills Gives Law Enforcement Permanent Tools to Crack Down on Illicit Fentanyl-Related Substances Today, the People’s House took action on the HALT Fentanyl Act to save lives and stop the scourge of fentanyl, which is killing more Americans than ever. The bill, led by Energy and Commerce members Morgan Griffith (R-VA) and Bob Latta (R-OH), passed the House with a strong bipartisan vote of 289-133. The HALT Fentanyl Act will make the temporary class-wide scheduling order for fentanyl-related substances permanent and give law enforcement the tools they need to keep Americans safe. As Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) said, “this bill will save lives.” Watch her remarks and more from E&C Republicans below. Learn more about the HALT Fentanyl Act and how it will make our communities safer by visiting energycommerce.house.gov/haltfentanyl .

Solutions to Lower Health Care Costs, Boost Broadband Deployment, and Bolster Energy Security Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) delivered the following opening remarks at today’s Full Committee markup of 19 bills to lower health care costs, boost broadband deployment, and bolster energy security. Remarks as prepared for delivery: LOWERING HEALTH CARE COSTS & INCREASING TRANSPARENCY “I’m proud this committee is building on its rich history of delivering on important priorities at the very center of improving people’s lives and raising the standard of living. “We will begin our markup today with legislation from our Health subcommittee. “Our solutions will lower costs for Americans and provide more health care price transparency, responsibly fund community health centers and diabetes research, prevent harmful cuts to hospitals that serve the most vulnerable patients, train more doctors in our communities, and improve FDA’s review of animal drugs used by farmers and pet owners. “We are taking action to make the health care system more patient-friendly so that people can access health care when they need it and at a cost they can afford. “Just recently, I read in the Washington Post of the craziness of the American health care system—insurers denying a baby’s coverage to stay in the NICU for a fourth day by saying in a letter, ‘you are drinking from a bottle’ and ‘you are breathing on your own.’ “I can’t imagine what it was like being the new, tired parents of a NICU baby and receiving that harsh and cold letter. “To put patients and their needs first, we had a long discussion about the bills in Health subcommittee in both bipartisan legislative hearing and markup. “Today, is a very important step, but just a first step in our effort to improve how the health care system works for patients.” CLOSING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE “Next, we’ll move to our Communications and Technology Subcommittee solutions to help close the digital divide and lift permitting burdens so we deploy broadband faster, with less government waste, and more efficiently. “High-speed broadband is an important part of our economy, yet many Americans, including in Eastern Washington, do not have access to reliable broadband. “In order to deploy broadband, providers need to go through burdensome permitting processes at the federal, state, and local level and the time to receive approval on a permit can range from several months to several years. “Congress provided an unprecedented amount of spending—more than 42 billion dollars—for broadband deployment. “Without reforms to the permitting processes, this money could be wasted. “Our legislation would cut the red tape and ensure that this money can reach rural, unserved Americans quickly. “We’re moving forward on several of these bills in a bipartisan way but I am disappointed that my colleagues across the aisle are not joining us on our other solutions. “Regardless, we are moving forward to deliver for the American people.” SPECTRUM AND AMERICAN LEADERSHIP “Finally, on spectrum, we are acting again to reauthorize the FCC’s spectrum auction authority, this time for three years. “The Spectrum Auction Reauthorization Act would extend spectrum auction authority, make important changes to existing spectrum auction processes, and direct spectrum auction proceeds to fund critical programs. “This bill would promote our national security by providing $3.08 billion for our small communications providers to remove Huawei and ZTE from their networks. “It would authorize and fund Next Generation 9-1-1 technology to help our public safety officers and make sure Americans can reach emergency responders when they need it most. “Most importantly, this bill is a product of long bipartisan, bicameral negotiations, and I urge my colleagues to vote yes.” BOLSTERING AMERICA’S ENERGY SECURITY & PROTECTING APPLIANCE FREEDOM “On the energy front, we are continuing our mission to make energy more affordable and strengthen American energy security. “Nuclear is a key part of our energy mix and right now America is dangerously reliant upon Russia’s supply of nuclear fuels for our existing nuclear power plant fleet. “My legislation—the Prohibiting Russian Uranium Imports Act—bans fuel imports from Russia and sends a strong signal to the market that will help restore American nuclear leadership and fuel infrastructure. “We also will be considering two bills from Representatives Lesko and Armstrong that prevent DOE and the CPSC from universally banning gas stoves. “The Biden administration is trying to use the federal government’s power to dictate every aspect of our lives from what kind of car we can drive to how Americans are allowed to cook food for our families. “If a celebrity chef can be exempted by local Democrats by Palo Alto’s natural gas stove ban, surely we can all agree today to allow every hardworking person of this country to decide for themselves what stove is in their kitchen. “Finally, I’m pleased that Mr. Walberg, Ms. Schrier, and Ms. Blunt Rochester are leading on two cybersecurity bills to continue the Committee’s bipartisan leadership on protecting our critical energy infrastructure. “Again, thank you to all my colleagues who are leading in this markup. “It’s a reflection of our most important responsibilities as duly-elected members of the People’s House to listen to those we serve, engage in the battle of ideas, and find solutions to make people’s lives better. “I look forward to our discussion today. Let’s get to work.”

Washington. D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) delivered the following remarks on the House Floor today in support of H.R. 467, the HALT Fentanyl Act , in order to save lives and make communities safer. LIVES ARE ON THE LINE “Madam Speaker, to save lives and make our communities safer, I rise in support of the HALT Fentanyl Act. “Illicit Fentanyl is one of the greatest threats we face as a nation. “Illicit drug manufacturers are diverting precursor chemicals from some of China’s 160,000 chemical plants and shipping them to Mexico, where cartels are producing mass quantities of illicit fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances. “These are being smuggled across our southern border and killing more people than ever. “According to an analysis by the Washington Post, fentanyl poisoning is the number one cause of death for people 18-49. “I think about my friend, Molly Cain, from Spokane. She lost her son Carson. And, Deb and Ray Cullen from Pennsylvania who lost their son Zach. “Both Carson and Zach were killed instantly by substances laced with illicit fentanyl. “Molly asked me how many more letters from grieving parents is it going to take for action. “The fact is it shouldn’t take another letter, another day. “It shouldn’t take another lost loved one. “The HALT Fentanyl Act will save lives. “We must make sure that law enforcement has the permanent tools they need to seize these extremely lethal poisons. “It is the DEA’s number one legislative priority. “Without those tools, drug traffickers—being sourced from China—will be emboldened to push deadlier and deadlier drugs across the border. “We can’t let that happen. “Let’s come together today for a more secure future for every community in America. “I urge support of the HALT Fentanyl Act. ”