Speaker Kevin McCarthy has tapped Congressman Dan Crenshaw to lead a new Congressional task force focused on combating the deadly Mexican drug cartels.
“I am proud to be leading this Congressional task force specifically focused on neutralizing the Mexican drug cartels,” Rep. Dan Crenshaw said. “The cartels have operational control over our southern border, facilitate and take advantage of our immigration crisis, and are killing tens of thousands of Americans every year with fentanyl. Until now, Congress has not taken this threat seriously nor have we shown the American people that we have a plan to deal with these transnational criminal organizations. This task force will rectify that by fully investigating cartel activity, producing policy recommendations, educating the American public, and bringing legislation to the House floor to wholistically target the drug cartels so they can no longer threaten our safety and sovereignty. I applaud Speaker McCarthy for recognizing the severity of this issue and thank him for the opportunity to lead this task force.”
The task force members include: Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-03), Rick Crawford (AR-01), Brian Babin (TX-36), Glenn Grothman (WI-06), Warren Davidson (OH-08), Andy Biggs (AZ-05), Clay Higgins (LA-03), Mike Johnson (LA-04), Carol Miller (WV-1), Chip Roy (TX-21), Michael Waltz (FL-06), August Pfluger (TX-11), Maria Salazar (FL-27), Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-05), Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06), Monica De La Cruz (TX-15), and Anthony D'Esposito (NY-04).
It will work in coordination with the relevant committees of jurisdiction to develop legislative solutions that will get consensus in the Republican Conference and move through regular order to the House floor for passage.
Rep. Dan Crenshaw has been at the forefront of the Republican fight against the cartels, introducing several pieces of legislation including an Authorization for Use of Military Force and the Declaring War on the Cartels Act – even garnering the attention of Mexico’s President, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, for his proposals to tackle these criminal organizations head-on.