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Ohio Republican proposes 'Fight Fentanyl Act' to strengthen HIDTA programs
Summary
Representative David Taylor urged reauthorization and extra resources for HIDTA and introduced the Fight Fentanyl Act to expand law-enforcement tools; he also warned fentanyl is a major threat in his Appalachian district and cited DEA seizure figures.
Representative David Taylor (R-Ohio) told the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform that combating fentanyl is a top priority for his rural Appalachian district and nationwide.
Taylor highlighted the National High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program, saying it supports federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement in critical drug trafficking regions. "With 33 HIDTA programs spanning across all 50 states," he said, and he described HIDTA seizures last year as "over 7,000 kilograms of fentanyl," adding "that amount of fentanyl could potentially kill 3,500,000,000 people according to the DEA," as quoted in the hearing transcript.
He said he introduced the Fight Fentanyl Act to reauthorize HIDTA, provide additional resources to seizure and enforcement activities, and permit the attorney general to allocate added resources to investigate and prosecute traffickers. He said the bill is cosponsored by Representative Levin and he asked the committee for consideration.
No formal committee action or vote was taken during the member-day hearing; Taylor yielded back after his five-minute statement.
