Barrasso says Open Border is to Blame for Fentanyl Crisis, Opioid Deaths

At today’s Senate Committee on Finance hearing, Senator John Barrasso spoke with addiction treatment experts about how increased drug trafficking has contributed to fentanyl overdose deaths in Wyoming. Barrasso also touched on improving rural access to fentanyl recovery health care and protecting Wyoming’s Native American populations that are targeted by Mexican drug cartels.

Tony Vezina, Abigail Heron, DO, Caleb Banta-Green, Ph.D., MPH, MSW, and Jeanmarie Perrone, MD testified at the hearing titled “Front Lines of the Fentanyl Crisis: Supporting Communities and Combating Addiction through Prevention and Treatment.”

Barrasso said he is truly alarmed by the fentanyl crisis facing America. "Clearly nothing like that existed when I was practicing medicine."

The Wyoming senator pointed out how tiny amounts are enough to kill someone. "Across the country the number of deaths have been skyrocketing.

“In my home state of Wyoming, you wouldn't think that it'd be a problem there. We've had 81 opioid-related overdose deaths. This past year has doubled the number from five years ago – completely unacceptable.

“It's touching every community across our nation – mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, all losing family members. I hear about it all around the state.

This comes after Democrats blocked Barrasso's "Build the Wall" Act that would've used the unspent COVID-19 funding to finish building the wall that former President Donald Trump started.