Federal Action Needed to Help Tribes Confront the Fentanyl Crisis, Say Cantwell, Lummi Chair Hillaire at Senate Hearing

“We've talked to Tribal leaders in Spokane, Colville, Yakama, Cowlitz, Jamestown, Puyallup, Tulalip…we must increase treatment and recovery capacity,” says Cantwell Cantwell’s fentanyl crisis response has included listening sessions in nine WA communities and legislative action, plus direct intervention revealed by Chairman Hillaire in testimony at today’s hearing

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs held an oversight hearing entitled, “Fentanyl in Native Communities: Native Perspectives on Addressing the Growing Crisis.” Lummi Nation Chairman Anthony Hillaire testified at the hearing.

Last month, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), a former chair and long-time member of the Committee, sent a letter requesting a hearing on how the national fentanyl crisis has been particularly devastating in Indian Country.

“We've talked to Tribal leaders in Spokane, Colville, Yakama, Cowlitz, Jamestown, Puyallup, Tulalip, and many people about how their particular communities are being impacted,” Sen. Cantwell said at today’s hearing. “What we know is we must increase treatment and recovery capacity. As one doctor told me: ‘We should have access to recovery be as easy as access to the drug.’ And at this point, it's not.”

During the Q&A portion, Sen. Cantwell also mentioned the Parity for Tribal Law Enforcement Act, which aims to help increase federal law enforcement staffing on reservations.

“What I feel and hear, particularly, Mr. Chairman, from the Lummi, is that without the adequate tribal law enforcement resources, I almost feel like Indian Country is being targeted. That people know that you don't have the law enforcement, that you don't have the capabilities, and that's where people are setting up shop,” Sen. Cantwell said.

Chairman Hillaire discussed how, in the immediate aftermath of five fentanyl-related deaths in one week in September in the Lummi community, federal assistance helped make a difference. “When we had those deaths and when I was talking to Senator Cantwell, we responded immediately,” he testified. “At Lummi Nation we declared a state of emergency. We implemented checkpoints to limit the number of drugs that were coming onto our reservation. We got canine units. Senator Cantwell helped us get FBI agents who helped get drugs off the street.”

“We are learning the need for better outreach, better treatment services. The more drugs we get off the street, the more we disrupt the market of drugs,” Chairman Hillaire continued. “Our need for a detox facility is an immediate need right now. The severity of withdrawals to fentanyl is really concerning. And right now, we have plans to build a detox facility, but through the bureaucracy and through the lack of funding resources it's been really challenging. We've raised $15 million over the last few years at lobbying for this very issue and we need $12 million more to finish the project.”

American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians are on the front lines of the fentanyl epidemic. In 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that American Indians and Alaska Natives had the highest drug overdose rates in both 2020 and 2021. The fentanyl crisis has been rapid and devastating for Native communities in Washington state, according to these alarming Washington State Department of Health statistics:

American Indian / Alaska Native Synthetic Opioid Overdose Deaths

SOURCE: Washington State Department of Health

Age Adjusted Rate of Synthetic Opioid Overdose Deaths per 100,000 by Race and Ethnicity, 2022

SOURCE: Washington State Department of Health

For the past six months, Sen. Cantwell has been conducting a listening tour across Washington state to hear from people on the front lines of the fentanyl crisis. She has made nine stops on the tour so far, several of which have included participation by representatives from Tribes. Since May, Sen. Cantwell has hosted fentanyl crisis roundtable discussion in Pierce County, followed by a second roundtable discussion in Snohomish County in June; in July, she convened a roundtable in the Tri-Cities, a roundtable in downtown Seattle, and a roundtable in Spokane. In August, Sen. Cantwell hosted roundtables in Vancouver, WA, Port Angeles, Walla Walla, and Yakima. Sen. Cantwell also delivered an address at the inaugural National Tribal Opioid Summit -- a gathering of approximately 900 tribal leaders, health care workers, and first responders from across the country – hosted by the Tulalip Tribe. Media from those roundtables, including video, audio, and photos, is available HERE.

Video of Sen. Cantwell’s remarks are available HERE and audio HERE.

Video of Chairman Hillaire’s remarks is available HERE and audio HERE.

Video of Sen. Cantwell’s Q&A with witnesses is available HERE and audio HERE.

A transcript including Sen. Cantwell’s remarks, Chairman Hillaire’s testimony, and Sen. Cantwell’s Q&A with the panel of witnesses is available HERE.

###

• Print
• Email
• Tweet