WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Congresswoman Lori Chavez DeRemer says a recent visit to the southern border shaped her work on bills to combat Oregon’s fentanyl epidemic. The Oregon Republican represents the Fifth Congressional District, which includes Bend, Redmond and Sisters.
The “Protecting First Responders from Secondary Exposure Act” has bipartisan support in the House and Senate. Chavez-DeRemer says it would help fund the safe storage of dangerous drugs, "It allows the state and local governments to purchase those containment devices to store those narcotics as it goes through the judiciary system; there’s evidence of what they’re gathering. We didn’t have that access before."
She says fentanyl trafficking has reached crisis levels and first responders need to be protected, "They’re the first line of defense when there’s an overdose. We had something in the schools there in Oregon, where first responders are there, our teachers are exposed. So, this kind of bill will help them with the asks they’re experiencing every single day." In January, a Yamhill County deputy and several middle school students were treated for possible fentanyl exposure during a drug investigation at a school.
A separate proposal would increase the charge to felony murder for a dealer who supplies fentanyl that leads to an overdose death. "When these drug cartels are serving up this drug and it’s killing Americans, we have to have deterrents and this bill will allow for that," Chavez-DeRemer tells KBND News.
The Republican recently visited the southern border with other members of her party and says talking with an Arizona farmer convinced her to take action. "One of the things he said is, ‘ya know, we’re tired. We don’t know how to do this anymore alone. We’re not understanding why the federal government isn’t stepping up. We’re at a loss; we need the federal government’s help.’ That’s what these bills will do. It’s a first step in solving this crisis and I want to be a part of that solution."
To listen to our full conversation with Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, visit our Podcast Page.
