Robotics, 300 60 degree cameras and selfdriving cars. Watch tonight on cspan2. Now, look at the opioid beingic and how it is exploited. Representatives from the state department, u. S. Postal service, Border Protection, and the Drug Enforcement administration. This is two and half hours. This meeting will come to order. Thank you all for being here. Todays hearing continues from the subcommittee investigation work. The Opioid Epidemic is gripping our communities around the country. The subcommittee issued a bipartisan report on fraud on the metacard part the program. This subcommittee held up hearing on the growing problem of individuals buying opioids on the internet and shipping them to the United States through the mail. The up your it crisis, sadly, continues to get worse the Opioid Crisis, sadly, continues to get worse. 2016, Many Americans die from the opioid overdoses. In 2017, that is higher. My own home state of ohio, we were told recently, is now second in the country in terms of Overdose Deaths. It is hard breaking. Heartbreaking. Heroin,ly it is due to illegal versions of fentanyl, 100 timesis 50 two stronger than heroin. In ohio, fentanyl variations were involved in 60 of the Overdose Deaths last year. It has become the number one killer in ohio. Illegal majority of fentanyl is purchased online from labs in china and then shipped to the United States through the mail. Well hear from the Drug Enforcement agency today about that. It is shocking to people and they find out this is something through our u. S. Mail system. Last week, the bipartisan report was released on how criminals exploit the u. S. Mail to use the system to bring illegal opioids into our country. I will submit that for the record. After the 2016 hearing we set out to find out how easy it is to purchase fentanyl online and how it is shipped to the United States. We discovered it was shockingly easy to do so. I had to do a search fentanyl for sale. That simple search returned hundreds of websites, many affiliated with chinese laboratories, all openly advertising a legal drugs. We narrowed it to six websites and sent him a house asking about how to purchase and should fentanyl to the United States. These online sales were quick to respond it, unafraid, and ready to make a deal. They even tried to upsell us to a stronger heroin that is used as an elephant tranquilizer. Ordering these drugs was as easy as ordering any other product online. Completedmittee never a purchase online, it was just too dangerous to risk exposing someone to deadly fentanyl during delivery. But we did use the information and found out from the six websites alone, we identified more than 500 payments to Online Sellers totaling 230,000 of the last two years. This is just a small sample. Only six websites. We used just one Payment System to identify some of the buyers. In 300 people were located 40 three different states. Ohio, pennsylvania, and florida sending the most money to Online Sellers. Showsp we have behind us the concentration of where most of the purchases were made. That is also in the report. We also asked how the Online Sellers would ship the drugs to us. Every single one of them prefer to use the u. S. Postal service. Use private want to carriers like dhl, ups. They wanted to use the Postal Service. They told us they use the Postal Service because the chances the drugs getting seized was so insignificant that delivery was essentially guaranteed. We were also able to track hundreds of packages related to these online purchases. We identified seven people out frome 300 who died fentanylrelated overdoses after sending money to and receiving packages from these Online Sellers. One of the individuals was from ohio, cleveland area, who received 15 packages through the Postal Service over 10 month time. Died from acute fentanyl and tax occasion just weeks after receiving a package from this seller. Analyzing more than 2 million lines of shipment data, we located three individuals in the United States who are likely distributing these drugs. We located 120 instances of payments being sent to china and receiving a package from one single pennsylvania address. The person at the pennsylvania dress was working with the online seller to domestically trans ship purchases. Shipping data review indicated other individuals who purchased items including hill presses, empty pill casings. Ares not surprising people ordering fentanyl online to sell. The Profit Margins are struggling. Based on staggering. About 760ate to million in fentanyl pills being sold on the streets of our communities. We are working with enforcement authorities to make sure these drug dealers are brought to justice. Our findings show the crucial role advance electronic data can play in protecting our country and fighting the Opioid Epidemic. We also need some legislative changes. Lester, the Postal Service only received advanced data on about 36 of the more than 498 Million International packages coming into our country. About 500 million packages a year. Them have the of advanced electronic data that allows Law Enforcement to identify the suspicious packages. So that 13 million came here with no data to target these for screening. We didnt know with regard to 318 line packages where it was going, who sent it, what was in it. This is a massive loophole undermining the safety and security of our country. The data we do get that we reviewed appears to be of questionable quality. Only 36 . Much of that is not helpful. At times data was nothing but vines and characters. Even when customs has the data the Postal Service fails to locate it about 20 of the time. So again electronic data at 36 . Much is not helpful. Even when they say we have a package that looks suspicious, 20 of the time they cant find the package and it gets through. We left with the federal governments policies and procedures are inadequate to ship illegal synthetic opiates into the United States. In contrast our Service Provides data on 90 of the packages it ships to form posts. 90 of what we send out we send electronic data. After september 11, 2001, the terrorist attacks on that day, collecting advanced data was notified as a priority. In 2002 we required private carriers for this data. It was left up to the discretion of the postmaster general of the Treasury Department with regard to the Postal Service. They were encouraged to do it and study but it was left up to their discretion. For more than a dozen years, nothing happened. And others to inspect packages which is like finding a needle in a haystack. To their credit, the Postal Service started a Pilot Program in late 2015. Two targets packages from china. Our investigation found a lack of planning, Different Missions of the agencies, and personality conflicts hampered the success of the program that was started. Using advanced electronic data, jfk. Investigators were able to see that in action. Despite this he wrote that Pilot Programs allow them to put a positive spin on stopping opiates. Although both agreed it should be rolled off to all facilities barely started that after the may 2017 hearing. Glad they did it. We love the process was conveniently done just days ago. This is about a priority without having to hold this hearing. It shouldnt take this to get the government to do its job. One part of the solution is more data. Thats right we introduce the stop act. We currently have 29 cosponsors from both sides of the aisle. I know this report in here and will put pressure on us to take action. I want to thank senator carper and his staff for working with us. Theres more to be done to turn the tide of the addiction. Stephanie strikes from reaching our streets is a good start. As coauthor of the stop active focus my career in prevention, treatment, longerterm recovery. That is all important. But to keep this from coming into our communities is something we can a should do. The past week in ohio five overdosed and three died. Fat nonrelated overdoses. Officials issued an opioid advisory warning to the public big event to stay away from what was clearly a bad batch of opiates. How many more people have to die before this poison stops coming into our community . s before we take the steps so that theyre not delivered here in america. How many people have to die before this happens, yes there are in desperate need of reform and nobody has the more involved in that than senator carper. Its shocking that were unprepared to please the mail coming into our country. On a thank senator carper and his staff. I will turn it over to the Ranking Member. Thank you for your ongoing leadership on the tough and important issue facing our nation. Glad to be here with her staff. We Work Together, we are one. There is no space between us on this issue and others. You think are witnesses for joining us for the work you do and by the people who are your colleagues. This is also the result of a investigation. We need to do oversight. On something we all care deeply about. No state has been immune from the damage these drugs have cost to my home state of delaware. Is think delaware was a little town north of columbus. Terms out his entire state. This is an enormous challenge we face. Its no hands on deck moment. Requires in all of the above strategy. Its not enough to distill the symptoms of the problems. But also the root cause. We have to do both. According to the division of Forensic Science in my state or people dying from opiates every year. The last 222 people in 2016, 2,282,015, 216208 people. These are mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, grandparents, all of the above. Last month Emergency Responders in our largest county where i live and raise her family were dispatched to a Drug Overdose every 80 minutes. Paramedics had administered no oxo, a drug that can reverse the effects to nearly 600 patients. Opiates are the leading cause of opiate deaths killing when 200,000 people in 2016. In may we heard testimony from officials from the Postal Service and customs and Border Patrol, the state department and experts and First Responders on the ground in ohio. Delaware, and elsewhere who grapple every day with the impact opiates are having on our communities. They told us how theyre getting in our communities through the mail and how theyre working to stop that. I left are very concerned. Our investigation shows that progress has been made but also that we have much more to do. The findings are alarming. That no one stronger synthetics are openly available for sale on the internet accessible to anyone who knows how to shop online. Once purchased the right primarily from china through the mail system. They often offer shipment via private carriers like fedex and ups. We have obtained key payments and shipping data to enable us to link Online Sellers to deaths on arrest all over the country. We found a major distributor in pennsylvania where delaware and gets most of his jokes. The mission has become more difficult as the number of inbound International Packages has skyrocketed. Then the children mentioned a needle in haystack. One thing we can do this make the new a big old haystack smelly. Need to do both. Postal service has nearly doubled to 500 million in 2017. Until recently forced to sit through a massive number packages from the Postal Service manually. Today, automation has improved the targeting packages but it is far from efficient and effective. Investigation revealed that a joint Service Pilot project suffered due to the agencys mission and lack of coordination and other agency conflicts. The full expansion into the other Processing Centers were delayed until this week. Despite the massive amounts of drugs coming into the country, the Postal Service targets a small number packages each day. As the report points out effort to get data and intercept opiates has not kept pace with the drugs that cross our borders. Unlike private carriers who control which enter their networks and can turn away customers. The Postal Service is required to deliver all the mail receives from a form post. This due to her membership in the upu. Measures people can send mail to friends and family overseas. The state department represents the upu proceedings. All they have made some progress obtaining better information through Bilateral Agreements, the state department has washed more than a decade is some for partners fought efforts require more information on International Packages. It is urgent that we Work Together to continue wrapping up the inspection efforts. In the Postal Service and state department speed up efforts to get them the data they need. Congress needs to ensure the Postal Service has resources it needs to be a stronger partner. Protecting and improving the mail system has been one of my biggest priorities on this committee. The Postal Service is vital to our economy. The place an Important Role in the fight against opiate epidemic as well. The enactment of this legislation will free up billions of dollars that the Postal Service can use to invest and also to shore up mail security. If we only focus on chasing drug shipments after they ventured the mail system, will only address the symptoms of this problem. We need to focus on root causes. We must address our countries demand for drugs. Healthcare plays a vital role. Medicate is a singles largest payer for Substance Abuse services. Many with the highest death rates use medicaid to expand treatment access. Need focus more making sure the Healthcare System has resource it needs to provide quality treatment to the separate. Its clear that we need to engage with china the biggest source of illicit opiates in the country to successfully disrupt the supply of fat known other drugs. We did Something Like this to obama with Cyber Security and hacking. Giving the success that had this administration should commit a similar effort to tackle this Public Health crisis. Reached out to terry branston, former governor of iowa to engage her embassy and her team in china to say this is a problem and you need to get your act together to help us and ultimately you. This reminds me about the challenges were discussing today. Theres no Silver Bullet that can solve this problem. We need leadership from the top. Last month the president established a Commission Charge was studying this epidemic. Despite these high profile moves, news reports suggest a couple of the commissions 56 recommendations have been implemented. We can do better. The office of National Drug policy has been charged with courting the federal governments drug response does not have a permanent directive. In a recent media reports indicate the presence upcoming budget will propose a 95 cut in the office of the drug control policy. The day will were gonna be critical for frontline agencies slifer to call on the president what appears to be the crisis this should be. Something we call the three cs. Communicate, compromise and collaborate. We need to embrace the truth receives as we fight this epidemic. Were doing that today. If we do that will make some progress close by saying this is all hands on deck. And all the above strategy thats needed. As well as we do in our jobs we know we can do better. Our goal is perfection and we can do better here. Thank you. Thank you. You mentioned the president ial commission on opiates. One was the enactment of the stop act we talked about to require this date in advance. If you have a statement i be happy to have you be heard now. Thank you for being here. Thank you for your leadership on this. My own nephew died of an overdose in january 2016. Its probably gotten to the point where theres very few americans have not been touched by some of his died of some kind of overdose. Its a complex problem. I want to thank you and your staff for preparing this meeting. Want to thank the witnesses. It is complex. Something we need to do one of the problems is scheduling these minute differences. There so many things we need to address. It starts with identifying the problem, defining it and highlighting hearings like this. I think everyone was involved. We talked to too many parents and grand