Guthrie Speaks on Opioid Crisis Awareness Week

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), top Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, this week spoke on the House floor to mark Opioid Crisis Awareness Week.

“My home state of Kentucky has been one of the hardest hit by our nation’s ongoing opioid crisis,” said Guthrie. “Sadly, over 1,300 Kentuckians died of a drug overdose in 2018. I have been proud to work with my colleagues on the House Energy and Commerce Committee to combat the ongoing nationwide opioid epidemic. Next month, we will honor the one year anniversary of the SUPPORT Act being signed into law. This landmark legislation is already helping communities prevent the rampant spread of opioid abuse, but more work needs to be done.”

In his speech, Guthrie also spoke about his recent visit to the international mail facility at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. During this visit, he met with U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agents and representatives from the Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Postal Service to learn more about how illegal fentanyl is entering the U.S.

“Last month, I visited the Customs and Border Patrol international mail facility located at JFK Airport in New York,” said Guthrie. “There, I saw firsthand the dangers of illicit fentanyl coming through our borders. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that can be so potent that it can kill anyone who comes in contact with it, including law enforcement officers. I will continue to work with President Trump and my colleagues to stop fentanyl from coming to our country and help stop this epidemic from harming our communities.”

In July, Guthrie led a hearing on the illicit fentanyl trade and how it is impacting the nation’s ongoing opioid crisis.