SE Kentucky News

U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers (KY-05), Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and Science, expressed his concerns during a federal budget hearing about the Department of Justice's (DOJ) efforts to tackle pressing issues affecting the nation. Rogers, a prominent figure in combatting the opioid epidemic, questioned Attorney General Merrick Garland on the DOJ's strategies to address the fentanyl crisis.

"The (DOJ) budget puts a department-wide emphasis on equipping federal agents with body cameras. Drug cartels and their crime syndicates in the United States must be decimated, period. The death and devastation the cartels and gangs have inflicted on American families, and bringing them to justice, ought to be the department's top priority," said Chairman Rogers. "Whether agents doing the decimating have a camera attached to them is secondary, by far."

Chairman Rogers also expressed criticism towards the Biden Administration's handling of the border crisis, highlighting the continuous flow of people and drugs across the southern border. He pointed out a significant increase in Chinese citizens apprehended crossing illegally from Mexico, stating, "When will the madness stop? Perhaps when this administration takes the cuffs off law enforcement and allows them to do their job."

Federal funding hearings for fiscal year 2025 are ongoing as House appropriators deliberate on the nation's priorities. Congressman Rogers is actively involved in addressing these critical issues both in Washington, D.C., and in his home state of Kentucky. More information about his work can be found on his official website at halrogers.house.gov.