The HALT Fentanyl Act Will Repeat Mistakes of the Past

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: [email protected]

WASHINGTON — Jesselyn McCurdy, executive vice president for government affairs at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement after the Senate passed S. 331, the Halt All Lethal Trafficking (HALT) of Fentanyl Act:

“Harsh federal drug laws and mandatory minimums have caused the federal prison population to explode. The flawed legislation passed in the Senate today threatens to repeat the same mistakes that were made with the so-called ‘war on drugs.’ To address fentanyl-related deaths, we strongly believe in health-based approaches that are effective in addressing this public health crisis. This legislation will not deter crime, protect public safety, or decrease drug use or trafficking — it will instead only exacerbate mass incarceration and racial disparities within our criminal-legal system. This is not the way forward. We urge members of Congress to refocus their attention on taking the bold and necessary steps that will transform our criminal-legal system into one that delivers true justice and equality.”

The Leadership Conference sent a letter to members of Congress in opposition to the HALT Fentanyl Act. Read it here.

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 240 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.

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