Drug, Border Crisis
Capito Stresses Need for Action on
Drug, Border Crisis
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Vice Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, delivered remarks at the weekly Senate Republican Leadership press conference on the potential catastrophe at the southern border ahead of Title 42’s expiration, and the devastating impact of fentanyl in communities across West Virginia and the country.
HIGHLIGHTS:
TITLE 42 EXPIRATION: “I would say on the heels of Title 42 going away, that’s a human tragedy, human trafficking. As we see the glut of people, it really pulls at your heartstrings as an American, but just as a human being. It’s an unmitigated disaster.”
FENTANYL CRISIS: “I come from a state that has unfortunately been very touched by the influx of drugs on the southern border, and particularly the fentanyl issue. As several have already mentioned, there was just recently, there was a CDC report that came out that said deaths in this country from fentanyl have gone up 279%. You all probably know friends and neighbors, people that you’ve known, acquaintances who’ve lost a child, a family member to this, to an overdose of fentanyl. I certainly can put myself in that category.”
FENTANYL CROSSING THE BORDER: “We see over 10,000 people coming across the border. What’s our Border Patrol going to do? They have to meet the challenge of stopping the human immigration into the country, and it takes their eye off the ball of the drugs that are coming through. We know they’re coming through Mexico, as the ingredients for fentanyl are coming in from China into Mexico, and then up into our country that are formed into pills.”
ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION NEEDED: “So, if for no other reason—which I can think of about 10,000 yesterday—for no other reason to get a hold of the border crisis and to make sure that the president is facing this to stop this illicit drug trafficking. It’s killing Americans everywhere in this country. That, to me, is a driving force for the president to get on the ball, and for his administration to find a better way.”