Press Releases

Washington, DC – Yesterday, Congressmen Mark Alford (MO-04) and Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-03) hosted a fentanyl forum in Columbia, Missouri. Several members of the community joined the Representatives on the University of Missouri’s campus. The following experts were in attendance:

• Amber Coleman and Anthony Mingo (Washington County Ambulance Service);
• Jennifer Maddow (Columbia Public Schools Health Director);
• State Senator Caleb Rowden;
• State Representative Sherri Gallick; 
• Sarah Eager (Advocate); 
• Jake Pollard (Full Circle Preventative Services Program);
• Master Sergeant Greg Primm from the Missouri State Highway Patrol Drug Task Force; and
• Mizzou President Mun Choi.

Congressman Alford issued the following statement:

“Today’s event is a huge step towards securing our community from the dangers of deadly fentanyl. Right now, our southern border is wide open, leading to the facilitation of one of the most illicit narcotics our country has ever seen.

It is up to each of us to make sure our neighborhoods are educated and recognize the signs of a fentanyl poisoning. I was proud to join Congressman Luetkemeyer today in Columbia and look forward to continuing these forums all over the state.”

Congressman Luetkemeyer added:

“I’m focused on cutting off the cartels’ access to the substances – often called precursors – they need to make fentanyl. You probably won’t be surprised to learn that those precursors are made in China under the protection of the Chinese Communist Party. The first hearing I held this Congress as Chairman of the Subcommittee on National Security, Illicit Finance and International Financial Institutions was on the CCP’s role in fueling the fentanyl crisis.”  

Media inquiries for Rep. Alford should be directed to Austin Higginbotham at Austin.Higginbotham@mail.house.gov.