During an April 16th hearing by the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), Rep. Dan Newhouse (WA-04) questioned former U.S. Attorney General William Barr and Drug Enforcement Agency Chief of Operations, Ray Donovan, on how the CCP is subsidizing, awarding, and investing in the production of illicit fentanyl precursor chemicals.
Click here to watch the video.
Prepared remarks below:
“First off, thank you all for providing your expert testimonies and your continued dedication to keeping our Nation as safe as possible. This issue is critically important to the people I have the honor of representing in Central Washington. Unfortunately, as some of those sitting in the audience and those tuning in virtually at home know all too well, the fentanyl epidemic has taken so many American lives.
Last year, a father in Yakima, WA, Andrew Wonacott (or Andy), reached out to me to share his deeply saddening and personal experience with fentanyl. Over the span of about 18 months, he lost both of his sons in separate instances to substances laced with fentanyl. After hearing this, I knew we had to do something, so I introduced the William and James Wonacott Act, in honor of his two sons.
The Act focuses on enhancing enforcement and increasing penalties for fentanyl distribution without the recipient’s knowledge. We soon learned that there is no ‘silver bullet’ to solve this complex crisis – which is why we created the Central Washington Fentanyl Task Force.
The Task Force is a working group comprised of more than two dozen experts on the front lines and those directly impacted by the crisis. We are finalizing a year-long report that outlines all relevant data, funding, policy, and educational efforts on the subject; and this is where we would really appreciate your collective expertise on the source of the problem – China’s complicit and illegal distribution of fentanyl precursors. As you all know, more than 90% of fentanyl precursors come from China and are then processed and distributed by the cartels through our Southern Border.
Attorney General Barr, under your leadership in the previous Administration, China designated fentanyl analogues as controlled substances, which was a great step in the right direction, but as you know the loophole remains for fentanyl precursors. Under the current Administration, diplomatic pressure forced China to issue a Notice admitting these drug trafficking operations are illegal; however, this too possesses limitations, because China continually undermines its own enforcement laws. And finally, as our committee investigation unveiled today, the CCP is:
- Subsidizing, awarding, and investing in the chemical companies responsible,
- Failing to prosecute these companies or collaborate with U.S. law enforcement,
- Essentially conducting forms of legal and illegal statecraft to unleash all-out drug warfare.
My question to you, Attorney General Barr, is, given these Committee findings, how do you think U.S. strategy should change to enhance our enforcement capabilities and hold the CCP accountable? Targeted appropriations, expanded authorities, and cooperation with allies?
AG Barr, we have seen the CCP use this subsidy playbook in several other industries. Are there lessons we can learn from and apply these to their state-sponsored fentanyl operations? The CCP subsidizes armaments, power generation and distribution, oil and petrochemicals, telecommunications, coal, civil aviation, and shipping.
Mr. Donovan, as we are assessing and debating this year’s appropriations bills, which specific divisions or programs within the DEA should we keep top of mind?”