Texas

Biden Admin Asks Republicans to Help Stop Opioid Crisis and Avoid Shutdown

As the government faces an impending shutdown on September 30, the Biden administration has called out House Republicans to “meet their responsibility” and help to stop the opioid crisis and avoid a government shutdown.

White House Press Secretary Andrew Bates made the administration’s thoughts clear when he addressed the Republican representatives.

“Now, House Republicans have a stark choice to make: will they honor their word, meet their responsibility to avoid a shutdown, and act on life and death priorities like fighting the fentanyl crisis?” said Bates.

The Biden administration has been heavily focused on the opioid crisis, specifically fentanyl.

The deadly drug has been linked to 100,000 deaths in 2022. Moreover, the current administration has even spent hundreds of millions of dollars in funding to address the crisis.

Fentanyl is often smuggled through the border, which has caused many to tie the border crisis to the opioid crisis.

“President Biden is urging Congress to provide $800 million to fight fentanyl trafficking and counter the deadly substance being illegally imported from China,” said the press secretary.

Despite the Biden administration’s efforts to combat the smuggling of the drug, Republican lawmakers have found errors in the process.

As Bates stated, the drug comes from China. However, it is primarily created and pressed into pills in Mexico.

The Biden administration is attempting to fight the smuggling and the addiction, yet Republicans believe that the problem could be more effectively stopped at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Texas Representative Dan Crenshaw (R) expressed his frustration with the President and his administration’s handling of the issue.

“Happy to come to the White House to discuss how we take on the Mexican drug cartels responsible for trafficking fentanyl and poisoning Americans. Let me know what time works for you @POTUS.”

Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) has often lauded his program, Operation Lone Star, which addresses the border crisis.

A statement released by the governor says that the operation is focused on preventing illegal immigration and drug smuggling.

“Governor Greg Abbott, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), and the Texas National Guard are continuing to work together to secure the border; stop the smuggling of drugs, weapons, and people into Texas; and prevent, detect, and interdict transnational criminal behavior between ports of entry.”

However, many Democrats have criticized the Texas governor’s efforts labelling them as cruel.

Texas Representative Joaquin Castro (D) led a group of over 80 House members calling on President Biden to intervene in “Operation Lone Star”.

“We write to express our profound alarm over border policies instituted by Texas Governor Greg Abbott that are putting asylum-seekers at serious risk of injury and death, interfering with federal immigration enforcement, infringing on private property rights, and violating U.S. treaty commitments with Mexico,” said the House members.

Joshua Smith

Joshua Smith is a writer and recent graduate, majoring in English.

Recent Posts

Donald Trump Offers UT Austin Funding Under Political Compact

President Donald Trump's (R) administration is offering the University of Texas access to increased federal…

7 hours ago

Megachurch Pastor Robert Morris Pleads Guilty to Child Sex Abuse

Robert Morris, the influential Texas pastor who founded Gateway Church, pleaded guilty this week to…

8 hours ago

Fentanyl Deaths in Texas Dropped 42% Following the 'One Pill Kills' Campaign

Newly released data from the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) shows fentanyl-related poisoning…

10 hours ago

Ken Paxton Orders Cities to Halt Potentially Illegal Property Tax Hikes

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has directed four towns, La Marque, Odessa, Tom Bean, and…

14 hours ago

LONESTAR — 10.3.2025 — Gregg Abbott Launches Texas Regulatory Efficiency Office — Matt Gaetz Endorse Chip Roy for Texas Attorney General — and More...

Greg Abbott Announces Texas Regulatory Efficiency Office Governor Greg Abbott (R) announced this week the…

14 hours ago

No Work, No Pay: The Debate Over Congressional Salaries During Government Shutdown

As the federal government officially shuts down, many Americans are asking: Should members of Congress…

1 day ago