Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) commended the introduction of the Strengthening Tracking of Poisonous Tranq Requiring Analyzed Quantification (STOP TRANQ) Act into the House of Representatives. Congressman Vince Fong (R-CA) and Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) recently brought the bill to the floor after Sen. Cruz and Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) sent the legislation to the upper chamber in March of this year. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) is also a co-sponsor of the bill.
The STOP TRANQ Act would require the Department of State to “actively report” on the prevalence of xylazine, commonly referred to as “tranq,” and include its findings in the International Narcotics Control Strategy Report. The report would be designed to allow the United States to “counter and respond to trends” concerning the trafficking of tranq and how it contributes to America’s drug epidemic.
Sen. Cruz stated that the momentum behind this bill could be what it needs to get the legislation to the President’s desk.
“This introduction means that the STOP TRANQ Act now has bipartisan, bicameral momentum for passage,” said Cruz. “The spread of Tranq across American communities has become a crisis. Earlier this year, I worked with Sen. Kaine to introduce legislation combatting that spread by committing State Department resources to track the international production and sale of this deadly drug. I am proud that Reps. Fong and Spanberger have now joined us in this bipartisan fight by introducing companion legislation in the House to better fight this crisis.”
Rep. Fong added that tranq “must be taken seriously” as it’s affecting the lives of thousands of Americans and their families.
“Tranq is a growing drug threat to all Americans and must be taken seriously as a deadly drug coming into our country. There are drugs on the streets that are killing people in our local communities especially fentanyl and the growing rise of xylazine, and we should know the trafficking patterns from other countries so that we can stop the flow of these drugs from further harming Americans,” said Rep. Fong. “It is critical that we combat this lethal drug crisis head on and support our law enforcement and prosecutors in going after those who wish us harm.”
Finally, Rep. Spanberger stated that law enforcement at all levels needs to be provided with the necessary tools to fight this drug.
“Tranq is killing Virginians in our communities and Americans across our country. But right now, our country is ill-equipped to counter the influx of xylazine and fentanyl in our communities … I believe that Congress must provide our federal, state, and local law enforcement officers with every tool available to combat the deadly drugs flowing into our communities. As drug overdose deaths are increasingly involving xylazine, this bipartisan legislation would help law enforcement crack down on its proliferation in our communities and stop the predators who are killing our neighbors,” said Rep. Spanberger.
Tranq, which has affected the especially American South according to Sen. Cruz, is made more dangerous as it is not an opiate but a sedative and cannot be treated with Narcan.
