Health Subcommittee Holds Hearing to Discuss Legislation Protecting Communities from Illicit Drug Threats
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Morgan Griffith (VA-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Health, led a hearing titled Policies to Protect Our Communities from Illicit Drug Threats . “I hear countless stories across my district of individuals taking illicit drugs and mixing them with drugs we discussed today, like xylazine and fentanyl,” said Chairman Griffith. “While some of these bills may need further work, it is critical that we continue to look for ways to restrict access to lethal and dangerous substances in order to protect American lives, strengthen public safety, and prevent further harm to families and communities nationwide.” Watch the full hearing here . Below are key excerpts from today’s hearing: Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13) on H.R. 1266, the Combating Illicit Xylazine Act : “Under the leadership of President Trump, we have finally closed our Southern Border and made all Americans safer by that action. However, we all recognize there is more work to be done, and I am pleased to see many pieces of legislation that are being considered today that will do exactly that. First, xylazine, referred to as “tranq”, is now reported to be the most commonly mixed alternate drug being stored and transferred and mixed and sold with heroin, with fentanyl, with cocaine. When I talk to the coroners at home and I ask them which drug is most commonly being used in South Central Pennsylvania, they say, ‘I’ll tell you what it’s being mixed with, it’s being mixed with tranq.’ And then it’s a polymorphous mixture of drugs that come in with it. I’d like to really publicly express my strong support for H.R. 1266, The Combating Illicit Xylazine Act, led by Representatives Panetta and Pfluger, which would permanently schedule this substance while providing the necessary safe harbor for its continued legitimate veterinary use.” Congressman Neal Dunn, M.D. (FL-02) on H.R. 7184, the PRESS Act : “You know, in 2025, the CDC reported an estimated 72,000 deaths from overdose, so think about that for a minute; 72,000 peoples’ souls lost. You know, it highlights the brokenness of our system. I think we can fix this. I think the bills before us today represent some real, concrete solutions to address the crisis that has claimed more American lives than any war in modern history. Fentanyl alone accounts for an estimated 45,000 deaths in 2025, and that threat is not static; it’s evolving. It’s changing. As we’ve discussed today, it’s almost faster than our regulatory framework can track. And I’m aware that there’s many problems that cause this, but I want to focus on the sort of upstream sources right now. This is not just a domestic public health problem. This is a national security issue, and it has a return address. The Chinese Communist Party has subsidized and incentivized the chemical companies in our country to export fentanyl and all these other related precursors to produce synthetic opioids and whatnot that are illicitly sold in the United States. And I don’t think this is negligence. This is policy.” Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-01) on H.R. 1227, the Alternatives to Pain Act : “Increasing access to opioid alternatives not only can reduce the cost of medical care but can also improve patient outcomes. One of my constituents from Iowa city, John Greenwood’s story, exemplifies this strategy. John is the Chief Strategy Officer of Goldfinch Health, an organization that launched the Billion Pill Pledge to help reduce the number of opioids left over after surgery by 1 billion. John trains health care professionals about optimal pain management, but this work is also personal to him because his son was born with a missing bone in his skull and has required 13 operations in five years. By utilizing only non-opioid therapeutics, his son was able to get through a seven-hour skull operation and recover with zero complaints about the pain while being treated at the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital. Because of his son’s recovery, which was smooth and comfortable, he was able to be discharged from the hospital four days early. This also saved the health care system and the family thousands of dollars in NICU costs alone. My bill, the Alternatives to Pain Act, is written to ensure more patients get this approach and reduce the risk of addiction from prescription opioids.” ###