By Rep. Adrian Smith
In 2023, nearly 70 percent of the 105,000 overdose deaths in the U.S. involved fentanyl or another synthetic opioid. For the last four years, the lethality of these synthetic opioids was compounded by the failed open border policies of the Biden-Harris administration which allowed these highly potent drugs to flood in and destroy far too many American lives.
The status quo is finally beginning to change. Alongside the leadership of President Trump, House Republicans are working to restore the rule of law, support our border security agents, and end the opioid epidemic. In order to make sure we have access to all the necessary tools to accomplish this task, this week I supported passage of the HALT Fentanyl Act to permanently classify fentanyl analogues as a Schedule I substance.
Less than three weeks into his second term, President Trump’s commitment to securing our borders and stopping the flow of fentanyl into our country is producing positive results. By driving a hard bargain, the president has yielded swift cooperation from Colombia, Mexico, and Canada before any new tariffs went into effect. This is outstanding news for the safety of the American people and has revealed a night and day difference between this administration and the last four years.
Since his first term, President Trump has elevated U.S. leadership—from his historic negotiation of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) and an agreement with China to laying the groundwork for a promising agreement with Kenya. When it comes to global trade policy, the United States must lead the conversation, whether it relates to market access for agriculture, intellectual property, digital regulations, or investor protections. There are numerous, longstanding challenges which must be addressed for the continued long-term success of our domestic industries and to the benefit of American consumers.
Going forward, I expect President Trump to continue to engage vigorously on behalf of American interests. To level the playing field, our engagement must be vigorous, and tariffs remain a key tool in the toolbox for effective negotiation. Make no mistake, our trade partners expect this.
As American agricultural producers and manufacturers have suffered from the Biden administration’s loss of ground in market access and failure to address high input costs, the very best thing we can do for our hardworking producers is to open and maintain access to new markets for their world-class products. I have encouraged the current administration to remain vigilant and prepared to mitigate the impact of potential retaliation on our domestic industries.
This week, the Office of the United States Trade Representative announced Mexico’s full compliance with its USMCA commitments to accept imports of U.S.-grown corn. While President Biden could have done more to secure this result years ago, this is a positive step for U.S. producers, agricultural innovation, and science-driven, rules-based trade. Robust engagement will remain essential as we enter the 2026 USMCA review.
Without enforcement of our trade partner’s obligations, we cannot have healthy and productive trade relationships. The world was watching when President Biden failed to stop the flow of fentanyl or hold the CCP accountable for its trade commitments. I have been grateful our new Secretary of the Treasury has been clear about his willingness to push China to fulfill its obligations for agricultural purchases. Today the world is watching as the president shows, in no uncertain terms, his ability to lead.