CONGRESSMAN VAN DREW SLAMS HHS FOR HELPING FACILITATE ILLEGAL DRUG USE

February 8, 2022 — Congressman Van Drew issued the following statement slamming the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for funding a grant program through the American Rescue Plan, which I opposed, that will allocate American taxpayer dollars to help support drug addictions across the country. 

The HHS closed applications yesterday for a grant program that will allocate $30 million to provide funds to nonprofit organizations and local governments for “clean drug use.” This includes handing out “kits” that will include drug paraphernalia, such as pipes and syringes. HHS also indicated that through this grant program, “underserved communities” will be prioritized when allocating the funding to promote “equity,” despite drug use being a widespread issue across the country. 

“At a time in our country where there has been enough fentanyl seized at our border that could kill every American seven times over again, the Biden Administration should not be helping fund illegal drug use,” said Congressman Van Drew. “In 2021, drug overdose deaths surpassed 100,000 and is now the leading cause of death for people aged 18-45. Instead of attempting to control this crisis and strengthen our southern border, Democrats’ solution is to federally fund a program that will encourage illegal drug use. This administration does not care about the safety and well-being of its citizens, because if it did, there would be vocal support for our police and proposed policies to take crime off our streets, it would continue building the wall on our southern border, and it would definitely not be handing out drug paraphernalia to facilitate drug use.” 

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