U.S. Rep. Brett Guthrie on Wednesday discussed what he foresees as the main issues in Washington politics in the year ahead, with one key point being the present stance on drug trafficking relating and fentanyl.
Addressing the Owensboro Rotary Club, Guthrie said that until Feb. 18 fentanyl and any substance that comes from the fentanyl molecule will be illegal.
“The fentanyl that I’m describing to you … it’s easier to get across the border, it is more profitable, it is far more dangerous,” Guthrie said. “But on Feb. 18, unless the majority party will let us bring the bill to the floor, [this variation of fentanyl] will not be illegal in the United States.”
Since Guthrie serves on the committee responsible for illicit fentanyl, he said he wants to ensure that the extension on its illegality continues.
Guthrie said he plans to work on this initiative when the Congress floor opens for business next Monday.
Guthrie also emphasized the importance finding an end to the pandemic.
“It seems that [it’s been] two years, and pandemics last two years. That’s how long the Spanish flu was, and so maybe it’s hopefully running its course,” Guthrie said. “One way or the other, we’re going to have to learn to live with it.”
Guthrie believes whether it be through vaccines or therapeutics, the virus will be something that society will have to continue to live through.
“We’ve got to have kids in school, and we’ve got to have people working, we’ve got to have the economy moving forward,” he said. “And so we’ve got to learn to live with it.”
