Congressman Pat Fallon has attributed the U.S. fentanyl crisis to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), accusing it of misleading the United States regarding its commitment to reducing fentanyl exports. Fallon made these remarks in a post on X dated October 16.
"While the CCP has been driving America's fentanyl crisis, the Biden-Harris Admin has been duped into thinking China would crack down on fentanyl exports," said Fallon, U.S. Representative. "Over 74,000 Americans died from fentanyl overdoses last year."
According to a press release from the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition between the United States and the CCP, their investigation revealed that Chinese companies are primarily responsible for producing nearly all ingredients used in illicit fentanyl trade. The Committee found that the Chinese government subsidizes both manufacturing and export of these materials, provides grants to companies involved in trafficking, holds interests in drug trafficking enterprises, and fails to prosecute manufacturers of fentanyl and its precursors.
The Washington Post reports that the Chinese government claims it has taken measures against fentanyl exports. During President Xi Jinping's visit to San Francisco in November 2023, top aides said that Beijing had acted against 25 companies supplying chemicals for illegal fentanyl production. However, policy experts remain skeptical about whether this will significantly impact the global supply chain for illicit drugs.
In August, a spokesperson for the House Select Committee on the CCP told Federal Newswire that China's announcement of new restrictions on certain fentanyl precursors was insignificant. "This is just the PRC's latest vacuous promise," said the spokesperson. They further said that while China claims cooperation by scheduling precursors like fentanyl, it continues to subsidize these substances without enforcing actions against those responsible for numerous American deaths.
Fallon has been serving in Congress since 2013, representing Texas's 4th district. According to his website, he is a member of several committees including the House Armed Services Committee; Cyber, Information Technologies, and Innovation Subcommittee; and Tactical Air and Land Forces Committee.
