U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce (R-OH) recently applauded the House Committee on Homeland Security for advancing the PREVENT Act, legislation he introduced to protect drug handling Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel.
“As the crisis at the southern border continues to spiral out of control, so does the flow of deadly drugs into our country,” Joyce said. “In Fiscal Year 2021 alone, more than 10,000 pounds of fentanyl were seized during failed attempts to smuggle it across the U.S.-Mexico border. It’s critical that we provide our CBP officers with the tools and training necessary to do their jobs as safely as possible amid this record-breaking surge of drug trafficking. I thank my colleagues on the House Homeland Security Committee for passing this important legislation and urge leadership to put it on the floor for a vote so that we can protect our CBP officers as they work to defend and maintain our borders.”
In FY2021, CBP seized 624,500 pounds of drugs, including 11,203 pounds of fentanyl. Officials said the amount served as enough to kill the nation’s entire population eight times over.
“As our nation grapples with a drug overdose crisis of epic proportions from illicit drugs pouring across the border, our CBP personnel are the first line of defense,” House Committee on Homeland Security Ranking Member Rep. John Katko (R-NY) said. “As they carry out this critical homeland security mission, we must ensure their utmost safety when handling illicit, deadly drugs.”
The measure requires the CBP Commissioner to issue containment devices to CBP personnel and provide training on their use. Containment devices provide secondary protection beyond personal protective equipment (PPE).