Make no mistake about it – we are continuing to battle the fentanyl crisis in our schools, homes, and communities across Eastern Washington. Overdoses are still unfortunately on the rise. In Spokane County alone, overdoses have increased by 1,233 percent between 2017 and 2021. The impact this deadly drug has had on our region is devastating. 

This week, I led a roundtable with Energy and Commerce Republicans to highlight Big Tech platforms’ devastating role in all this and shine a spotlight on the unique challenges our big small town is facing. Our very own Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels even traveled to Washington, D.C. to testify and share his expertise with my colleagues. 

These difficult conversations are important to have, but we also need to take action to address this horrendous crisis. That’s why I helped reintroduce the HALT Fentanyl Act this week to permanently schedule fentanyl-related substances and prevent them from becoming street legal. This long-overdue legislation is critical to ensure local law enforcement and border patrol agents have the authority necessary to seize these extremely lethal drugs and save lives. 

These efforts to combat the fentanyl crisis are just the start. We still have a long way to go in this fight that I’m committed to finishing before another innocent life is lost.

CLICK HERE to read the bill.