| Congressman Gabe Vasquez is taking decisive action to protect the safety and wellbeing of families across New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District.
In his latest efforts to keep New Mexicans safe, Vasquez is backing bipartisan bills to enhance fentanyl testing in hospitals and provide parents with the tools necessary to protect their kids from online drug deals.
“Fentanyl is cutting too many lives short, ripping apart New Mexico families. We need to attack this crisis from every angle: stopping traffickers at the border, holding federal officials accountable when they fail our communities, giving parents tools to keep their kids safe online, and helping hospitals identify fentanyl overdoses faster.” – Rep. Vasquez
DCCC Spokesperson Anna Elsasser:
“Congressman Gabe Vasquez continues to lead on protecting the safety of New Mexico families and children, and this is just the latest example of that commitment. Vasquez remains focused on working across the aisle to deliver on the issues that matter most to New Mexicans, and that’s why he’ll be resoundingly re-elected this November.”
Read more:
Organ Mountain News: Vasquez backs bipartisan bills targeting fentanyl overdoses, online drug sales
- U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez is backing two bipartisan bills aimed at fentanyl overdose response and youth online safety.
- Vasquez, announced…that he is supporting Tyler’s Law and Sammy’s Law.
- Tyler’s Law would encourage hospitals to test for fentanyl more regularly when a patient is experiencing an overdose. Sammy’s Law would give parents tools intended to help monitor whether children are using social media platforms to engage in drug deals or other dangerous behavior.
- “Fentanyl is cutting too many lives short, ripping apart New Mexico families,” Vasquez said. “We need to attack this crisis from every angle: stopping traffickers at the border, holding federal officials accountable when they fail our communities, giving parents tools to keep their kids safe online, and helping hospitals identify fentanyl overdoses faster.”
- Sammy’s Law is named after Sammy Chapman, who died at age 16 after being approached by a drug dealer on Snapchat and unknowingly consuming fentanyl, according to Vasquez’s office.
- Vasquez’s office said Tyler’s Law has support from several community and health organizations, including the American College of Emergency Physicians, Emergency Nurses Association, AIDS United, National Drug & Alcohol Screening Association, Facing Fentanyl, Song for Charlie, End Overdose and others.
- The announcement follows a June 25 letter Vasquez sent with U.S. Reps. Melanie Stansbury and Teresa Leger Fernández to the Drug Enforcement Administration seeking answers after reports that federal agents and prosecutors allowed large quantities of fentanyl pills to reach New Mexico communities through a law enforcement practice known as “walking.”
- Vasquez’s office said the bills build on other drug-interdiction and border security legislation he has supported, including measures related to cargo scanning, law enforcement coordination, penalties for human smugglers and fentanyl traffickers and the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program.
|
