Republicans in Congress are finally saying what grieving families across America have known for years: knowingly dealing fentanyl that kills someone isn't just drug distribution, it's murder. A powerful new bill introduced in both the House and Senate, the "Felony Murder for Deadly Fentanyl Distribution Act," aims to bring real justice by allowing federal prosecutors to charge these poison peddlers with felony murder.
Under this long-overdue legislation, sponsored by patriots like Senator Joni Ernst and Representative Tony Gonzales, dealers distributing fentanyl (two grams or more) that results in a death could face life in prison or even the death penalty. This marks a massive shift from current law, which carries a hefty 20-year minimum but doesn't treat the offense as the homicide it truly is. With roughly 280,000 American lives tragically cut short by fentanyl since 2021, this crackdown is desperately needed.
Rep. Gonzales put it perfectly: "My bill sends a strong message to those who work with cartels and other bad actors—if you sell the drug and take an innocent life, justice will be delivered." He added, "Our law enforcement agencies are in overdrive combating the drug epidemic in America, it’s time to take action and up the penalties for fentanyl dealers." Senator Ernst echoed the sentiment, speaking of the "scourge of fentanyl" and the "incredible tragedy" inflicted on communities, calling the increased severity "long overdue."
The DEA points the finger squarely at Mexican cartels, supplied by China, as the "heart of this crisis." And let's be honest, the flow of this poison across our southern border exploded under the previous administration's disastrous policies. As President Trump’s Border Czar Tom Homan stated, the Biden administration "unsecured the border on purpose." Thankfully, under President Trump, border numbers are now at "a historic low," leading to the "most secure border in the history of this nation," which directly impacts the flow of this deadly drug. This bill adds another crucial tool: holding the dealers directly responsible for the deaths they cause, with consequences that finally fit the crime.
‘Justice Will Be Delivered’: GOP Targets Fentanyl Killers
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Strips showing positive for fentanyl over a heroin dosis are seen at La Sala, a safe space for women using drugs at Verter Community Centrr in Mexicali, Baja California State, Mexico, on May 9, 2023. Following the discovery that heroin is being cut with fentanyl, an opioid that lurks as a global threat, ONG Verter created La Sala, a safe place for vulnerable heroin users in Mexicali -in the Mexico-US border- to consume and avoid overdose. (Photo by Guillermo ARIAS / AFP) (Photo by GUILLERMO ARIAS/AFP via Getty Images)