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Texas congressman introduces bill to give death penalty to convicted fentanyl dealers
Texas GOP Rep. Chip Roy introduced legislation on Tuesday that would allow those convicted of dealing fentanyl to get the death penalty.
The legislation is called the “Deal Death, Face Death Act,”
“Fentanyl is killing hundreds of Americans every single day, and the people trafficking this poison should face the harshest penalties available,” Roy said in a press release regarding the bill. “If a dealer distributes fentanyl or fentanyl-laced drugs and someone dies as a result, that dealer has effectively signed that person’s death warrant.”
He said that the legislation will close a loophole that gives prosecutors the ability to go after offenders who profit off of Americans dying.
“Congress must stand with the families devastated by this crisis and send a clear message: if you deal death, you will face the full weight of justice,” his statement concluded.
Almost 48,400 Americans died as a result of fentanyl poisoning, according to Fox News.
Last year, families gathered outside of the Washington Monument to honor loved ones who died as a result of fentanyl.
"Fentanyl and drugs laced with fentanyl kill tens of thousands of Americans each year, leaving countless families without their loved ones, creating irreparable harm for individuals and communities nationwide," Roy said in his press release. "Fentanyl is so deadly that two milligrams, equal to 10 to 15 grains of table salt, can kill someone."