Sen. Marco Rubio and 13 other GOP senators are proposing legislation that would make dealing fentanyl linked to a death a felony punishable by life in prison or a death sentence upon conviction.
“Fentanyl is killing Americans at a record high,” Rubio, R-Fla., said in a prepared statement. “This deadly drug is widespread throughout our country and has left no community untouched. This bill would make drug dealers pay the price for selling deadly fentanyl.”
If passed and signed into law, the Felony Murder for Deadly Fentanyl Distribution Act, would make distribution of fentanyl that results in a person’s death a felony murder punishable by either death or life in prison.
Drug overdose is now the leading cause of death for adults ages 18 to 45, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In 2020, fentanyl was involved in 75% of the 91,799 fatal drug overdoses in America. The number of fentanyl-related deaths is expected to increase with the influx of fentanyl entering the country across the U.S.-Mexico border.
In fiscal year 2019, U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized 2,800 pounds of fentanyl. During fiscal year 2023, which ends Sept. 30, CBP had seized 12,900 pounds of fentanyl through August.
Already this month, authorities seized 22 pounds of fentanyl from a home in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, enough of the drug to kill 5 million people, Fox News reported. Authorities also seized more than 4 pounds of fentanyl in Tarrant County, Texas.
In Mankato, Minnesota, police on Sept. 16 seized “rainbow” fentanyl pills, which look like candy. The pills were the first of their kind ever seized in Minnesota, KEYC News reported.
Sen. Mike Braun, R-Ind., is one of 13 GOP senators to join Rubio last week in introducing the bill to make distribution of deadly fentanyl a felony.
“Fentanyl is killing young Hoosiers and cutting a path of destruction through the Midwest,” Braun said in a prepared statement. “If you are peddling this poison, you should pay the price.”
Republicans repeatedly have raised concerns that the crisis of illegal immigration at the southern border allows drug traffickers the freedom to enter the U.S. illegally and distribute fentanyl and other drugs across the country.
“A wide-open southern border has fueled a fentanyl epidemic in this country,” Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, said in a written statement about her support for the bill.
“The dealers and distributors of this deadly drug must be held accountable, and that’s what we’re fighting to do,” Ernst said.
Lora Ries, director of the Border Security and Immigration Center at The Heritage Foundation, said that “too many parents have lost their children to fentanyl poisoning and yet this administration won’t pursue the correct solution of securing the border.” (The Daily Signal is Heritage’s multimedia news organization.)
“Fentanyl is a public health crisis,” Ries told The Daily Signal, adding:
To end it, Congress and the Biden administration need to completely secure the border. The current administration’s approach just throws money at treatment and rehabilitation, but that only chases the problem. Prevention is the best and most thorough solution because it saves lives.
Article cross-posted from Daily Signal.
Why the National Debt Is the Looming Threat to Your Retirement Plans
The Hidden Crisis No One Is Talking About
Every day, headlines warn about inflation, market volatility, and global instability—but the greatest looming threat to your retirement might be something far more fundamental: America’s skyrocketing national debt.
You can learn more about how the national debt affects you by reading this 3-minute report titled, “Debt Will Hit $40T in 2026: Prepare Your Retirement Now“.
With debt growing faster than most Americans can possibly fathom, the government’s borrowing habits have reached historic—and dangerous—levels. To cover spending, Washington is making moves with their budget packages, tariffs, and taxes. Is it enough? No. It’s not even close to what would be necessary to stop out-of-control debt, let alone reverse it.
How Debt Erodes Your Nest Egg
There are only so many levers government and the Federal Reserve can pull to try to protect Americans, assuming that’s even a top priority for them. Unfortunately, pulling one level to relive one pressure invariably adds pressure from another direction. This is why prices keep going up even as inflation reportedly slows.
For retirees and pre-retirees, that’s a perfect storm. The dollars you’ve worked hard to save lose value, and your cost of living increases while your investments lag behind.
If you’re relying solely on paper-based assets—stocks, bonds, or mutual funds—you’re essentially tied to the same system that’s creating the problem. It’s a system that was designed to work well in the 20th century, not in today’s world with people living longer and the dollar rapidly losing value.
This is why the 3-minute report, “Debt Will Hit $40T in 2026: Prepare Your Retirement Now,” is so important.
The Precious Metals Hedge
Thousands of Americans are looking for a tangible, time-tested hedge: physical gold and silver.
Unlike paper assets, precious metals aren’t dependent on government policy or the stock market’s mood swings. They’re real, finite resources that have maintained value for thousands of years through wars, recessions, and inflationary periods.
In fact, during times of high inflation and fiscal instability, gold often performs its best—because it’s seen as a store of value when faith in the dollar weakens. This is why prices have skyrocketed this year and are expected by many economists to continue going up in the future.
Take Control with a Gold IRA
One of the most effective ways to protect your retirement from national debt fallout is through a self-directed Gold IRA. This IRS-approved account lets you hold physical gold and silver within your retirement portfolio, giving you:
- Direct ownership of your assets
- A hedge against inflation and dollar decline
- The control to diversify beyond Wall Street
Augusta Precious Metals specializes in helping Americans just like you take this step with confidence. The company has earned a strong reputation for transparency, education, and personalized service—making it one of the most trusted names in the industry.
The Next Step: Secure Your Financial Future
Augusta Precious Metals has helped thousands of Americans with at least $50,000 to invest from their IRAs, 401(K)s, TSPs, and other retirement accounts safeguard their savings through precious metals.
If you’re concerned about what the rising national debt could mean for your future, now is the time to act.
Read this 3-minute report titled, “Debt Will Hit $40T in 2026: Prepare Your Retirement Now“ and learn the simple steps you can take to protect your retirement.
