I almost passed on reading this today and that would have been a huge mistake. First I want to thank Kamal Bherwani for working so hard on this issue and my heart felt sorrow for him losing his son. The most poignant thing I took away from his message is Fentanyl is a poison. True enough all opioids can be poisonous but this is several m…
I almost passed on reading this today and that would have been a huge mistake. First I want to thank Kamal Bherwani for working so hard on this issue and my heart felt sorrow for him losing his son. The most poignant thing I took away from his message is Fentanyl is a poison. True enough all opioids can be poisonous but this is several magnitudes more serious. Intentional poisoning of an already deadly addiction. The fact that Congress seems to want to deal with almost every aspect of our lives we have a deafening silence on real plans for this since the sources of precursors and the ability of the distributors from outside and within that it isn't as if Congress doesn't have something to aim for. This podcast was excellent but so very limited in distribution that it needs a voice where it counts and that is on the US House floor or the Senate. We have to hear from the insipid rants from the MTGs so let's replace that with voices working on real issues.
> The fact that Congress seems to want to deal with almost every aspect of our lives we have a deafening silence on real plans for this since the sources of precursors and the ability of the distributors from outside and within that it isn't as if Congress doesn't have something to aim for.
The Biden-Harris “Detect and Defeat” Counter-Fentanyl legislative proposal would give border officials the tools they need to more effectively track and target the millions of small-dollar shipments that cross our borders – closing a loophole that drug traffickers exploit.
The legislative proposal would help DHS, and particularly CBP, effectively go after the abuse of “de minimis” shipments, some 4 million low-value shipments every day that are currently subject to less rigorous reporting requirements than higher value shipments. CBP would be granted the authority to demand additional documentation and other information about de minimis packages and would impose a corresponding penalty on violators. The change would enable customs officials to more effectively analyze risk, identify patterns of concern, and take action against those who try to abuse our system. The legislation would also add a user fee for de minimis packages to help pay for the staff and equipment needed to better identify, and seize, illicit fentanyl being shipped in small packages into our country.
It would establish a registry of pill presses and tableting machines so that our law enforcement officials can keep track of these machines and take action against their illegitimate use.
Beyond serializing and tracking pill presses, industry partners would be empowered to identify and report suspicious behavior. The legislative proposal also includes reinstating subpoena authority to investigate suspicious packages.
It would permanently regulate fentanyl-related substances as “Schedule I” drugs – subjecting the distribution and possession of these drugs to heightened penalties– and would also increase penalties on those who unlawfully manufacture and distribute precursor chemicals and associated machinery.
Too many Americans don't pay attention to what Congress actually does. Performative garbage is generally the style many prefer anymore, which is a turn off to so many of us. CSpan and CNBC have always been things I watched when I could to check in on Congress. Not very exciting, but if you wanted to know what Senators and Representatives were doing...
I think it was GW's chief of staff who said that it used to be that people didn't really know what happened on a daily basis in congress. The business of running the country is rather boring, really, or it should be. It was business like and procedural. It slowly pivoted – is it all Trump's fault? – to loud performative acting and divisive rhetoric where clicks and being in front of a camera become the goal of many politicians, and the press eats it up.
My point: we used to trust what our congressmen and women were doing, we trusted they were debating and working together on solutions that were best for this country. The current congressional culture, however, particularly on one side, has no interest in legislating or governing for the entire country and we're allowing them to get away with this. It will take the public getting more educated, knowledgeable and expecting things to get done in congress before our congress will get back to actually doing their jobs.
Basically, elect people of good character and competence, and then we shouldn't have to pay all that much attention. It is part of that division of labor thing which makes the modern world so efficient. But today we can't even agree on what comprises good character and fitness for elective office.
I almost passed on reading this today and that would have been a huge mistake. First I want to thank Kamal Bherwani for working so hard on this issue and my heart felt sorrow for him losing his son. The most poignant thing I took away from his message is Fentanyl is a poison. True enough all opioids can be poisonous but this is several magnitudes more serious. Intentional poisoning of an already deadly addiction. The fact that Congress seems to want to deal with almost every aspect of our lives we have a deafening silence on real plans for this since the sources of precursors and the ability of the distributors from outside and within that it isn't as if Congress doesn't have something to aim for. This podcast was excellent but so very limited in distribution that it needs a voice where it counts and that is on the US House floor or the Senate. We have to hear from the insipid rants from the MTGs so let's replace that with voices working on real issues.
Kaaren, you, the Bulwark, we, the readers are the backbone and heart of HOPE…. At least for me…. Do not feel so lonely or alone…. Thanks
> The fact that Congress seems to want to deal with almost every aspect of our lives we have a deafening silence on real plans for this since the sources of precursors and the ability of the distributors from outside and within that it isn't as if Congress doesn't have something to aim for.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/07/31/fact-sheet-biden-%E2%81%A0harris-administration-announces-new-actions-to-counter-the-scourge-of-fentanyl-and-other-synthetic-drugs/
Summary from elsewhere:
The Biden-Harris “Detect and Defeat” Counter-Fentanyl legislative proposal would give border officials the tools they need to more effectively track and target the millions of small-dollar shipments that cross our borders – closing a loophole that drug traffickers exploit.
The legislative proposal would help DHS, and particularly CBP, effectively go after the abuse of “de minimis” shipments, some 4 million low-value shipments every day that are currently subject to less rigorous reporting requirements than higher value shipments. CBP would be granted the authority to demand additional documentation and other information about de minimis packages and would impose a corresponding penalty on violators. The change would enable customs officials to more effectively analyze risk, identify patterns of concern, and take action against those who try to abuse our system. The legislation would also add a user fee for de minimis packages to help pay for the staff and equipment needed to better identify, and seize, illicit fentanyl being shipped in small packages into our country.
It would establish a registry of pill presses and tableting machines so that our law enforcement officials can keep track of these machines and take action against their illegitimate use.
Beyond serializing and tracking pill presses, industry partners would be empowered to identify and report suspicious behavior. The legislative proposal also includes reinstating subpoena authority to investigate suspicious packages.
It would permanently regulate fentanyl-related substances as “Schedule I” drugs – subjecting the distribution and possession of these drugs to heightened penalties– and would also increase penalties on those who unlawfully manufacture and distribute precursor chemicals and associated machinery.
Too many Americans don't pay attention to what Congress actually does. Performative garbage is generally the style many prefer anymore, which is a turn off to so many of us. CSpan and CNBC have always been things I watched when I could to check in on Congress. Not very exciting, but if you wanted to know what Senators and Representatives were doing...
I think it was GW's chief of staff who said that it used to be that people didn't really know what happened on a daily basis in congress. The business of running the country is rather boring, really, or it should be. It was business like and procedural. It slowly pivoted – is it all Trump's fault? – to loud performative acting and divisive rhetoric where clicks and being in front of a camera become the goal of many politicians, and the press eats it up.
My point: we used to trust what our congressmen and women were doing, we trusted they were debating and working together on solutions that were best for this country. The current congressional culture, however, particularly on one side, has no interest in legislating or governing for the entire country and we're allowing them to get away with this. It will take the public getting more educated, knowledgeable and expecting things to get done in congress before our congress will get back to actually doing their jobs.
Basically, elect people of good character and competence, and then we shouldn't have to pay all that much attention. It is part of that division of labor thing which makes the modern world so efficient. But today we can't even agree on what comprises good character and fitness for elective office.