Republican lawmakers, led by Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX), are introducing legislation to make distribution of fentanyl chargeable as a felony murder as President Biden’s border crisis continues to plague the country.

The measure, formally known as the Felony Murder for Deadly Fentanyl Distribution Act, amends U.S. code to add that “Whoever is guilty of murder in the first degre by distributing fentanyl shall be punished by death or by imprisonment for life.”

“Fentanyl is killing Americans at a record high. This deadly drug is widespread throughout our country and has left no community untouched,” Rubio said in a statement, explaining that the bill would ultimately “make drug dealers pay the price for selling deadly fentanyl.”

Joining Rubio are Sens. Tom Cotton (R-AR), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Rick Scott (R-FL), Roger Wicker (R-MS), John Cornyn (R-TX), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Mike Braun (R-IN), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Steve Daines (R-MT), and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS). 

“It’s time to get serious about holding illegal fentanyl traffickers responsible,” Sen. Hawley stated. 

Similarly, Rep. Gonzales, who introduced companion legislation in the House, noted that the record levels of fentanyl coming across the southern border are leading to “thousands of American deaths.” Further, the Texas congressman said, “Cartels are now targeting our children and young people.”

“With the Biden Administration failing to resolve this national security crisis, it is time for Congress to take matters into its own hands,” he continued. 

According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data, authorities seized enough fentanyl in July — 2,071 pounds — to kill 469 million Americans. That is up from 680 pounds seized in June as the issue continues to hit close to home for far too many Americans in Biden’s open borders America. 

Earlier this month, for example, Hays Consolidated Independent School District (CISD) officials confirmed that yet another student died of a fentanyl overdose. That makes four students, total, who have died of fentanyl or suspected fentanyl overdoses.

Last month, Tucson Sector Border Patrol agents arrested a woman who was smuggling 187 pounds of fentanyl — enough to kill 42 million people.