Former cop Rep. Gabe Evans delivers speech on fentanyl crisis
Today Congressman Gabe Evans delivered his first speech on the House floor on the HALT Fentanyl Act, legislation to give law enforcement tools to tackle the fentanyl crisis, stop traffickers, and protect communities from the deadly impact of illegal drugs.
Watch his speech here or read the transcript below:
“Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the HALT Fentanyl Act. This critical bill will enable law enforcement to get dangerous drug traffickers off of our streets by permanently and responsibly classifying fentanyl analogues as Schedule I narcotics.
“Last year, DEA’s Rocky Mountain division seized a record 2.7 million fentanyl pills, enough to kill everyone in my district 1.5 times or 1.3 million people. We must do more to stop this drug from infiltrating our communities, and that starts with empowering law enforcement.
“As a Colorado cop for 10 years, I witnessed firsthand how not supporting law enforcement enables traffickers and the flow of fentanyl into our communities. This bill, of which I am a proud introduction cosponsor, gives cops the tools that they need to bring traffickers of this poison to justice.
“Since 2020, illegal drugs like fentanyl have claimed over 7,000 lives in Colorado— twice the death toll of September 11th. I urge my colleagues to support this bill and yield back.”