ALBION, N.Y. — One of our top-ranking politicians in Washington feels the White House could do more to combat the flow into the US and Western New York of the deadly drug substance known as fentanyl from China and Mexico.
He told 2 On Your Side he has introduced legislation that could do just that.
We've heard a lot of law enforcement officials talk about their concerns with deadly fentanyl which is causing a lot of fatal overdoses when it's mixed in with drugs like cocaine, heroin, and in more recent cases methamphetamine as seen in Erie County.
China is identified as the source country for so-called precursor chemicals which law enforcement says are then shipped to Mexico for the actual production of fentanyl by Mexican drug cartels.
The DEA says it is then mixed by drug dealers with heroin and cocaine or other illegal substances to extend the product supply of the drugs sometimes into more compact opioid pills - perhaps using pill presses - and that makes it easier to smuggle and distribute.
Schumer spoke with reporters in Orleans County where recent drug raids have led to $9 Million dollars in drug seizures.
"The new legislation which has passed the Senate overwhelmingly and with bipartisan support will stop this. Because it gives the president emergency powers to impose real tough economic sanctions on China and Mexico unless they stop these drugs. For once we can stop them at the source."
The Majority Leader is calling for the Republican lead House to also agree on this measure as part of the overall Defense Funding Authorization which is now pending a vote in that chamber on Capitol Hill.
Despite talk of actual negotiations with China by officials of the Biden administration, the Democratic leader wants a harder line for the President.
"Talking to the Chinese, talking to the Mexican government can't hurt. But it's not enough. We have to be much tougher and we've talked to them for too long. I will say this - we've put this legislation together in the Senate but the Biden Administration is supporting it. And I will do everything I can once it becomes law to make sure they use these sanctions. Not just talk."
Senator Schumer also emphasized that this act is also aimed at Mexico where President Lopez Obrador has openly said that fentanyl is not his country's problem. He claims it is the problem of the US. Senator Schumer feels it should be their problem as well especially to again stop the flow of it across the Southern border into the US and other areas here in Western New York.