Fentanyl doesn’t discriminate. From adults my age to kids my sons’ age, this poison is now the leading cause of death for Americans ages 18 to 45 — surpassing car accidents, cancer, and chronic disease.
Zoom out: In 2024 alone, nearly 50,000 Americans lost their lives to fentanyl overdoses. Here in Iowa, almost everyone can name a friend, neighbor, or loved one who has been touched by this epidemic — and every day of inaction only deepens the damage.
The fentanyl pipeline: This deadly synthetic opioid starts with chemical precursors from China, moves through labs in South America, and is trafficked across our southern border — before ending up in communities just like ours across the country.
Combating the fentanyl crisis and shutting down this pipeline requires a coordinated, whole-of-government response. That’s why I made it a top priority this year to work across the aisle to pass commonsense legislation through the House to:
✅ Sanction Chinese entities involved in fentanyl production or trafficking by designating them as foreign opioid traffickers
✅ Expand law enforcement tools to disrupt the global fentanyl supply chain
✅ Support community-based prevention, treatment, and recovery programs across Iowa
Bottom Line: The fentanyl crisis won’t fix itself. We’re acting now — to protect our kids, back law enforcement, hold traffickers accountable, and save lives.