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Rep. Abigail Spanberger Takes on Fentanyl Crisis in Virginia with Bipartisan Legislation

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Rep. Abigail Spanberger, a member of the U.S. House, is taking a comprehensive approach to address the fentanyl crisis in Virginia, working closely with law enforcement and community leaders to prioritize an approach that gives police the tools they need to detect and stop fentanyl while also supporting treatment and recovery professionals. The crisis has resulted in a significant number of overdoses and deaths, prompting lawmakers to act. Spanberger's Providing Officers with Electronic Resources (POWER) Act, a bipartisan bill, aims to establish a new U.S. Department of Justice grant program to help state and local law enforcement organizations secure high-tech, portable screening devices.

Key Takeaways:

  • The POWER Act, introduced by Rep. Abigail Spanberger, aims to establish a new U.S. Department of Justice grant program to help state and local law enforcement organizations secure high-tech, portable screening devices for detecting fentanyl.
  • The devices use laser technology to analyze potentially harmful substances through packaging and identify substances based on a library of thousands of compounds.
  • The bill has received support from the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO), National Sheriff's Association, and the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA).
  • Spanberger has worked consistently to tackle the opioid epidemic and substance abuse crisis, supporting recovery services and blocking deadly drugs, including illicit fentanyl.
  • She reintroduced bipartisan legislation to crack down on narcotics traffickers using illicit pill presses to manufacture counterfeit drugs.
  • The Combating Illicit Xylazine Act, which Spanberger backed, aims to address the abuse of xylazine-adulterated fentanyl and classify the illicit use of xylazine as a Schedule III substance under the Controlled Substances Act.
  • Spanberger also introduced bipartisan bills to reauthorize and increase funding for the Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery (STAR) Loan Repayment Program, and to expand access to naloxone in Virginia schools.

Statistics:

  • Fentanyl overdoses and deaths have been increasing in Prince William County, according to Chief of Police Peter Newsham.
  • President Biden signed into law Spanberger's bipartisan Summer Barrow Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Act, providing $900 million of support for programs combating substance use disorder and addiction in the Commonwealth and across the country (December 2022).
  • The Securing America's Borders Against Fentanyl Act, passed in December 2022, strengthens America's response to fentanyl coming through the nation's borders and ports of entry (December 2022).

Sources:

  • Spanberger, A. (Office of Rep. Abigail Spanberger). (2023). Press Release: Rep. Spanberger Discusses Fentanyl Crisis in Virginia with Law Enforcement and Community Leaders.
  • Spanberger, A. (Office of Rep. Abigail Spanberger). (2023). The POWER Act: Providing Officers with Electronic Resources Act.
  • President Biden. (2022, December). Presidential Action: Signing of the Summer Barrow Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Act.
  • President Biden. (2022, December). Presidential Action: Signing of the Securing America's Borders Against Fentanyl Act.

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