JOE BIDEN MAD AS HELL - DON'T CALL MY CRACKHEAD BRIBES SUCKING SON A CRACKHEAD!!! - House Republicans Introduce ‘HUNTER Act’ to Prohibit Federal Spending on Crack Pipes

 JOE BIDEN   -  MORAL DEGENERATE AND ETHICALLY DEPRAVED!

House Republicans Introduce ‘HUNTER Act’ to Prohibit Federal Spending on Crack Pipes

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NICK GILBERTSON

12 Feb 20220

3:09

Two House Republicans have introduced legislation called the “HUNTER Act 0f 2022” which would prohibit the federal government from using funds to purchase crack pipes, syringes, and other drug paraphernalia.

The proposed legislation comes on the heels of a Washington Free Beacon report which alleged the Biden Administration would provide addicts with crack pipes included in “safe smoking kits/supplies” through a $30 million grant program. Biden’s Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has since said “no federal funding will be used… to put pipes in safe smoking kits,” Breitbart News reported.

The legislation, officially dubbed “Halting the Use of Narcotics Through Effective Recovery Act of 2022’’ or the “HUNTER Act of 2022,”  was introduced by Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) and Rep. Dan Bishop (R-NC), Fox News reports. The bill’s name seemingly takes a swipe at President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, whose past struggles with crack cocaine addiction have been well-documented. 

Boebert told Fox News:

Congressman Bishop and I are standing up and saying, heck no. Our tax dollars should not be funding the death and destruction of crack addicts. Democrats are always putting the American taxpayer last and Republicans just want to give people in need a good job. Democrats want to give them crack pipes.

The legislation states in part: 

(a) IN GENERAL.—No Federal funds, including funds appropriated by section 2706 of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (42 U.S.C. 290dd–3 note), may be used for the purchase, or to support the purchase by any recipient of Federal assistance, of any drug paraphernalia.

(b) DEFINITION—In this section, the term ‘‘drug paraphernalia’’— (1) has the definition given to that term in section 863 of title 18, United States Code; and (2) includes, to the extent covered by such definition, crack pipes, harm reduction vending machines, syringes, and safe smoking kits and supplies.

“I like the HUNTER Act because it was a better acronym than Stop Paying to Subsidize Biden’s Son’s Drug Addiction act. That didn’t really flow,” Boebert told Fox News. “I think tax dollars have been on the hook for Hunter’s addictions long enough.”

“The HUNTER Act is a means of encapsulating how ridiculous public policy can become when it’s in the hands of the woke,” Bishop told the outlet. 

Though the HHS has denied crack pipes would be included in safe smoking kits, Boebert and Bishop remain firm on the proposed HUNTER Act.

“Whenever they are caught red-handed they use the phrase misinformation or disinformation to stop the American people from calling them out,” Bishop told Fox News. “That’s what happening.”

“We want that in statute. We’re not taking their word for it,” Boebert said.

I THINK WE ALL HAVE A CLEAR PICTURE OF THE DOCUMENTED FACT THAT JOE BIDEN IS A LIAR. HE'S ALSO A GAMER LAWYER WHO IS CONTEMPTUOUS OF THE LAW AS HE IS OUR BORDERS!

The Biden Administration Thinks You’re Stupid

… and the fact-checkers actually are

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Washington Free Beacon Editors • February 11, 2022 12:51 pm

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The Biden administration thinks you, the American people, are stupid. That much is clear given its response this week to a Washington Free Beacon report exposing the administration's plan to "fund the distribution of crack pipes to drug addicts as part of its plan to advance ‘racial equity.'"

Despite confirming the details of reporter Patrick Hauf's story, the Department of Health and Human Services subsequently determined—more than 24 hours after publication—that the story was "blatant misinformation." A spokesperson offered no evidence to support this claim. Asked for clarification, the spokesperson responded 10 hours later to denounce once again the report as "misleading and misinformed" but offered no evidence as justification.

Media "fact-checkers" willingly repurposed the administration's talking points in an attempt to discredit our reporting. Not surprisingly, the result was an incoherent mess. Snopes, for example, said our story was "mostly false" because crack pipes were "just one of around 20 components of the grant program." (We know, because we listed several others in the report, such as "syringes, vaccinations, disease screenings, condoms, and fentanyl strips.") Not a single word contradicted what the Free Beacon reported.

Another "independent" "fact-check" by a website called Lead Stories (we've never heard of it, either) resulted in Facebook censoring the report for containing "false information." The site was co-founded by a former CNN journalist and a Colorado personal injury attorney who has donated thousands of dollars to Democrats and zero dollars to Republicans, so it must be a reliable source.

Both fact checks have been updated after the administration announced on Wednesday that "no federal funding will be used" to distribute crack pipes to underserved communities in an effort to promote racial equity. White House press secretary Jen Psaki insisted that crack pipes "were never a part" of the "safe smoking kits" described in government documents. She blamed "inaccurate reporting" for the confusion.

The Drug Policy Alliance was also confused, and understandably so. The group's executive director, Kassandra Frederique, accused the administration of "backtracking" and expressed disappointment that "they will no longer allow federal funding to go towards putting pipes in safer smoking supplies."

Got that? The administration "will no longer" provide free crack pipes that "were never a part" of the taxpayer-funded smoking kits. Because the right-wing media are publishing "inaccurate reporting" and spreading "blatant disinformation." It's almost as if the White House is full of shit and thinks you're stupid. (Fact check: They are and they do.)

That's the only reasonable conclusion. The administration's story is utter nonsense. Existing harm reduction programs across the country include pipes in the smoking kits they give to crack addicts. Take, for example, a program from California's Department of Public Health, which openly advertises glass pipes. Other programs in cities such as Annapolis, Md., New Haven, Conn., and Seattle, Wash., all include crack pipes in their smoking kits.

These are exactly the sort of cities the administration was targeting when it announced the funding opportunity, and there is nothing in the announcement that tells these communities they would have to modify the contents of their smoking kits to qualify for funding. In fact, the HHS spokesman told the Free Beacon that the department does not specify what is in the kits, leaving that detail to program participants at the local level.

Even after the White House denial that crack pipes will be funded, the administration still won't say it never planned to include them. "The department did not respond when asked by the New York Times if glass pipes were ever allowable under the grant provisions," the paper wrote on Thursday evening.

Like most Democratic institutions, the Biden administration has a habit of dismissing inconvenient stories as "misinformation" without actually refuting them. Administration officials tend to lash out at anyone who questions their authority or expresses an ounce of skepticism. Last week, for example, journalists who requested evidence to back up the administration's claims regarding a military strike in Syria or the situation in Ukraine were accused of siding with the enemy.

It makes sense that the Biden administration would be especially sensitive when it comes to inconvenient stories about crack pipes. But that doesn't excuse the blatant misinformation or their shockingly low opinion of the American public's intelligence. You deserve better and, at least according to the supporters of this administration's original plan, so do America's crackheads.

Psaki: HHS Drug ‘Harm Reduction Program’ Includes ‘Prioritizing the Use of Fentanyl Test Strips and Clean Syringes’

By Melanie Arter | February 10, 2022 | 11:26am EST

 

 

 

(Screen Capture)

(CNSNews.com) – White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki admitted Wednesday that the federal government is paying for “clean syringes” to be given to drug abusers as part of $30 million in “harm reduction” grants using taxpayer funds.

Psaki said the program, which is “focused on harm reduction strategies,” includes “the use of fentanyl test strips and clean syringes.”

As the Free Beacon reported, funding for the “harm reduction” grant program is provided through the American Rescue Plan, which was signed into law last year.  Applications for the grant were due on Feb. 7, 2022. The project start date is projected to be May 30, 2022.

“HHS just put out a statement clarifying around some reports that crack pipes are not part of the Safe Smoking kits that are funded by the administration, but can you clarify for us were they never part of the kit or were they removed in response to this pushback?” Fox News White House Correspondent Jacqui Heinrich asked.

PSAKI: They were never part of the kit. It was inaccurate reporting, and we wanted to put out information to make that clear.

HEINRICH: What is in the safe smoking kit?

PSAKI: So the Safe Smoking kit may contain alcohol swabs, lip balm, other materials to promote hygiene and reduce the transmission of diseases like HIV and hepatitis. I would note that what we’re really talking about here is steps that we’re taking as a federal government to address the opioid epidemic, which is killing tens of thousands if not more Americans every single day, week, and month of the year.

We put out this statement though because there was inaccurate information out there, or I should say HHS put out the statement, because there was inaccurate information out there, and we wanted to provide clarification on the allowable uses for the HHS Harm Reduction program, not a change in policy. This program though is focused on harm reduction strategies, including prioritizing the use of fentanyl test strips and clean syringes.

All of these harm reduction services that will be supported by these programs are intended to save lives from an epidemic that we know is devastating to communities across the country.

HEINRICH: And then so just to put a final point at it, does the administration support any effort to distribute drug paraphernalia like the types that we were hearing about?

PSAKI: The statement makes clear that we don’t support federal funding direct or indirect for pipes.

HEINRICH: And then on the safe injection sites that the DOJ is evaluating: Was this an ask from the White House that they review that policy? Because I know that, for years, DOJ has opposed efforts to open safe injection sites.

PSAKI:  It’s under litigation, so I can’t speak to that, but what I can tell you and reiterate is that the White House is committed — as I will — as I would reiterate for you, many Democrats and Republicans, including Senator Cruz — to taking steps to address the opioid crisis. This is not an issue that is inflicting just blue states. It is inflicting millions of Americans across the country, and it is important that we take steps to address it.

HEINRICH: So, just final wrap of those two items: What would you say to critics who are concerned that the Biden administration is somehow encouraging illegal drug use?

PSAKI: I think that it’s important to step back and remember — just to put a little more of a fine point on it — that we are losing an American life every five minutes to overdose. We don’t have time for political games. 

The president is focused on saving lives through harm reduction programs. That’s exactly what we’re talking about here. They work in red states, and they work in blue states. We know they save lives; they help connect people to treatment and recovery, and they were endorsed this week by a bipartisan commission co-chaired by Senator Tom Cotton that examines steps we must take to address the devastating toll of overdoses. 

So, what I would say is: This is not a game. This is not a political game. This is an epidemic that is taking the life of five — of an American every five minutes, and we need to work in a bipartisan way to address it.

As Psaki said, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) served on the Commission on Combatting Synthetic Opioid Trafficking, which said it its report that “syringe service programs,” or SSPs, are part of “harm-reduction services.”

One of the Commission’s overarching goals is to reduce the number of overdose deaths. Although harm reduction does not directly reduce synthetic opioid trafficking and use, the Commission recognizes the elevated risk of harms from using illegally supplied synthetic opioids (e.g., higher overdose risk stemming from higher potency and less predictability in the market). Therefore, people who continue to use these drugs need to be engaged to reduce the associated risks and harms.

Harm-reduction services, such as syringe service programs (SSPs) and naloxone distribution programs, often serve as initial points of entry for long-term treatment by engaging with people who might not be ready for treatment and giving them lifesaving tools (e.g., take-home naloxone, fentanyl test strips [FTSs]) and information (e.g., education on safer use practices) intended to reduce the risk of an adverse outcome, such as overdose or infection. In addition, harm-reduction services offer a nonstigmatizing opportunity to interact with clients, linking them with other treatment and social services. 

Although some harm-reduction programs, such as SSPs, build on decades of evidence, a suite of novel programs has emerged more recently with only a limited evidence base, much of it from international jurisdictions. 

Office of National Drug Control Policy Director Dr. Rahul Gupta also serves on the board of the Commission on Combatting Synthetic Opioid Trafficking,

HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra and ONDCP’s Gupta also admitted that federal funds will be used to give drug addicts “clean syringes” as part of $30 million in “harm reduction” grants.

“HHS and ONDCP are focused on using our resources smartly to reduce harm and save lives. Accordingly, no federal funding will be used directly or through subsequent reimbursement of grantees to put pipes in safe smoking kits. The goal of harm reduction is to save lives,” Becerra and Gupta wrote in a statement.

“The Administration is focused on a comprehensive strategy to stop the spread of drugs and curb addiction, including prioritizing the use of proven harm reduction strategies like providing naloxone, fentanyl test strips, and clean syringes, as well as taking decisive actions to go after violent criminals who are trafficking illicit drugs like fentanyl across our borders and into our communities. We will continue working to address the addiction and overdose epidemic and ensure that our resources are used in the smartest and most efficient manner,” the statement added.

CNSNews.com asked the White House to confirm that the administration is providing clean syringes to drug abusers through harm reduction programs using taxpayer funding. 
A White House spokesperson referred CNSNews.com to the Department of Health and Human Services. 

Republicans Introduce the 'CRACK Act of 2022' to Bar Taxpayer Funding of Certain Drug Paraphernalia

By Susan Jones | February 11, 2022 | 10:41am EST

 

 

 

Paraphernalia for smoking and injecting drugs is confiscated during a police search in Huntington, West Virginia. (Photo by BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)

(CNSNews.com) - Several Republican senators are floating a bill called the CRACK Act, which stands for "Cutting Off Rampant Access to Crack Kits."

The bill introduced by Sens. Tim Scott (S.C.) and Marco Rubio (Fla.) would amend Section 2706 of the Democrats' $1.9-trillion American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to prohibit any funds from directly or indirectly purchasing, supplying, or distributing crack pipes or similar drug paraphernalia.

The bill simply reads: "Amounts made available under this section may not be used to procure, supply, or distribute pipes, cylindrical objects, or other paraphernalia that can be used to smoke, inhale, or ingest narcotics."

Notably, the bill does not bar the funding of syringes used to inject illegal drugs, which -- according to Biden administration officials -- the "harm reduction" kits do contain.

In a joint statement issued earlier this week, Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and Rahul Gupta, director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, said: "The Administration is focused on a comprehensive strategy to stop the spread of drugs and curb addiction, including prioritizing the use of proven harm reduction strategies like providing naloxone, fentanyl test strips, and clean syringes..."

The statement also said, "[N]o federal funding will be used directly or through subsequent reimbursement of grantees to put pipes in safe smoking kits."

But in its December 8, 2021 announcement of the "Harm Reduction Grant Opportunity," the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration -- part of HHS -- did not explicitly rule out the provision of crack pipes.

It did, however, include "the provision of sterile syringes" among the "evidence-based services" it seeks to provide.

Here is the relevant paragraph of SAMHSA's grant funding announcement:

SAMHSA will distribute $10 million per year over the next three years. Grant recipients must use the funds to support harm reduction services. Harm reduction service providers will be asked to develop or expand evidence-based services that may include, but not be limited to: the provision of sterile syringes, safe sex kits, prevention education about synthetic opioids and other substances, overdose prevention kits including naloxone distribution, peer worker engagement, medical services, case management and referral to treatment...Harm reduction services will be trauma-informed and guided by harm reduction stakeholder groups and other community members.

SAMHSA noted that "syringe services programs...help control the spread of infectious diseases like HIV and hepatitis C."

In fact, SAMSHA devotes a section of its website to "harm reduction," calling it  “a key pillar in the multi-faceted Health and Human Services' Overdose Prevention Strategy."

And in this "harm reduction" section, SAMSHA does indeed list "safe smoking supplies" as a way to "reduce sharing of substance use equipment, improve physical health, reduce the spread of infectious diseases."

Sens. Scott and Rubio said it appears the Biden administration changed its mind after word got out that the harm reduction kits might include crack pipes.

“The thought of taxpayer money funding crack pipe distributions could not be more ludicrous,” said Senator Scott. “But after a year of ludicrous policies and conflicting statements from the Biden administration, Republicans are leaving nothing up to chance. I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing this bill to ensure our federal government does not fuel dangerous drug addictions at the expense of American taxpayers.”

“I am glad the Biden Administration acknowledges sending crack pipes to our nation’s addicts is a bad idea,” said Senator Rubio. “It is pure insanity to think the federal government would fund crack pipe distribution. This legislation will make certain the program can never pay for crack pipes, and given the Biden Administration’s position, I look forward to their vigorous support.”

CDC endorses Syringe Services Programs

According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, syringe/needle exchange programs "provide access to sterile needles and syringes, facilitate safe disposal of used syringes" and refer drug abusers to treatment programs and other health services.

"Some states have passed laws specifically legalizing SSPs (Syringe Services Programs) because of their life-saving potential," CDC said. "Decisions about use of SSPs as part of prevention programs are made at the state and local levels."

CDC noted that the Federal Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2016 included language that gave states and local communities meeting certain criteria the opportunity to use federal funds provided through the Department of Health and Human Services to support certain components of SSPs, with the exception of provision of needles, syringes, or other equipment used solely for the purposes of illicit drug use."

That has now changed, as HHS -- through the American Rescue Plan -- intends to spend $30-million funding programs that do provide "clean syringes," as noted above.

According to CDC, syringe services programs help people stop using drugs because they are more likely to enter treatment; they reduce viral, bacterial and fungal infections, thus reducing health care costs; and they provide safe needle disposal.

CDC further says SSPs do not cause or increase illegal drug use, nor do they cause or increase crime.

Note: The CDC webpage cited above was last reviewed: May 23, 2019, a footnote says.