New Bill Targets Fentanyl Dealers With Felony Murder Charges Amid US Drug Crisis

Big news dropping on Capitol Hill: Lawmakers have just introduced a bill that would let prosecutors hit fentanyl dealers with felony murder charges if their drugs cause someone’s death. Right now, selling deadly fentanyl can land you a mandatory 20 years in prison, but it’s not tried as murder—at least, not yet.

The new legislation, known as the Felony Murder for Deadly Fentanyl Distribution Act, landed in both chambers Tuesday, right on National Fentanyl Awareness Day. If passed, it would crank up the penalties for dealers linked to overdose deaths, aiming to make a serious dent in a crisis that’s already claimed about 280,000 American lives since 2021. That’s more than the population of a small city, wiped out by one drug in just a few years. Grim doesn’t even cover it.

Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa and Representative Tony Gonzales of Texas are spearheading the effort. "Drug cartels have taken advantage of loopholes at our borders to peddle illicit drugs into our country, meanwhile, our communities pay the price," Gonzales said, adding that justice will now be delivered to those who sell and kill. He’s not pulling any punches—and, honestly, neither should we.

The government’s own numbers are downright staggering. The Department of Homeland Security estimates nearly 64,000 pounds of fentanyl have been seized at the southern border. That’s allegedly enough to kill 14 billion people. Yes, billion with a B. Makes you wonder if some cartels missed geography class.

Senator Ernst says she’s seen the devastation up close. She’s pushed for tougher penalties to stop the epidemic and protect Iowans, a move she says is overdue. And considering the rising death toll, it’s hard to argue with the urgency.

While the legislation targets dealers, the border debate rages on. Officials say most seized fentanyl is stopped at Ports of Entry, usually smuggled in by U.S. citizens. Meanwhile, border crossings have dipped recently—and, in some slightly brighter news, CDC data shows drug overdose deaths have dropped 24% from October 2023 to September 2024.

Of course, the politics are as heated as ever. Former border czar Tom Homan claims the Biden administration "unsecured the border on purpose," but also touts that border numbers are at a historic low. Talk about mixed messages. If only we could seize confusion as easily as fentanyl.