Some fentanyl dealers would be charged with felony murder under new bill
A groundbreaking piece of legislation was introduced in both the House and the Senate on Tuesday, marking a significant step in the fight against the fentanyl crisis that has plagued the United States. The new bill, known as the Felony Murder for Deadly Fentanyl Distribution Act, would allow fentanyl dealers connected to distribution resulting in death to be charged with felony murder.
Under the current U.S. law, fentanyl dealers face a mandatory minimum of 20 years in prison for the same offense, but the legal process of prosecution is not tried as a murder case. The new legislation aims to increase the severity and consequences for dealers, further cracking down on the fentanyl crisis that has claimed roughly 280,000 American lives since 2021, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIH).
Senator Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, and Representative Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, unveiled the bill as a bicameral effort on Tuesday, coinciding with National Fentanyl Awareness Day. The legislation will now head to committee in both chambers for further consideration.
“Drug cartels have taken advantage of loopholes at our borders to peddle illicit drugs into our country, meanwhile, our communities pay the price,” Gonzales told Fox News Digital. “My bill sends a strong message to those who work with cartels and other bad actors – if you sell the drug and take an innocent life, justice will be delivered. Our law enforcement agencies are in overdrive combating the drug epidemic in America, it’s time to take action and up the penalties for fentanyl dealers.”
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) estimates that nearly 64,000 pounds of fentanyl have been seized at the southern border, enough to “kill 14 billion people.” Senator Joni Ernst emphasized the devastating impact of fentanyl on communities, stating, “I have seen firsthand how the scourge of fentanyl has inflicted incredible tragedy on communities across Iowa. I have worked for years to protect Americans and stop this deadly epidemic. Increasing the severity of the punishment for the drug dealers responsible for the deaths of too many Iowans is long overdue.”
The rise in fentanyl trafficking has been linked to the influx of illegal immigrants during the Biden Administration, with Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) reporting that more than 90% of interdicted fentanyl is stopped at Ports of Entry (POEs). Despite recent declines in border apprehensions, the number of deaths resulting from fentanyl consumption has also decreased. The CDC reported a 24% drop in overall drug overdose deaths from October 2023 to September 2024.
President Donald Trump’s Border Czar, Tom Homan, recently claimed that the Biden Administration “unsecured the border on purpose,” leading to a rise in illegal immigrants bringing fentanyl into the U.S. Homan emphasized that border numbers are at a historic low and that the U.S. has the most secure border in its history.
The introduction of the Felony Murder for Deadly Fentanyl Distribution Act represents a significant effort to combat the fentanyl crisis and hold dealers accountable for the lives lost to this deadly drug. As the legislation progresses through the legislative process, it is hoped that it will bring justice to the victims and their families, while also sending a strong message to those involved in the illicit drug trade.
