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‘Gang Bang Drug Dealer’: Senator Kennedy Blasts Crack Pipe Funding, Says Closed Border Will Help Drug Problem

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Bryan Babb Contributor
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Republican Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy slammed crack pipe distribution funding and argued a closed border would help solve drug problems in the U.S. during a Tuesday interview on Fox News.

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“Every single day reality calls, and the Biden administration just hangs up,” Kennedy said on “America’s Newsroom” in response to reports of President Joe Biden’s plan to fund crack pipes for drug addicts. “I don’t think when moms and dads lie down at night in America and can’t sleep, they’re worried about clean injection sites and sterile crack pipes. The issue, Mr. President, is crime. The issue, Mr. President, is how to stop it. Not how to encourage it.”

“You want to hit the addiction problem in America a hard lick?” Kennedy went on to say. “Seal the border. Right now, President Biden’s policy is this: if you are a Nigerian doctor or a German machinist who wants to come to America, you have to be vetted for years, but if you’re some gang bang drug dealer who just hops the fence at the border, you’re welcome. And we’ll fly you anywhere you want in America.” (RELATED: ‘Why Did You Say It?’: John Kennedy And Biden Nominee Trade Barbs In Heated Exchange)

Kennedy noted that he was “all for helping people with drug addiction,” but argued it was better to “secure the border” than to provide “safe crack pipes.” Kennedy also claimed that Biden seemed to only worry about individuals who are part of “some minority group that he deems worthy.”

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) closed applications Monday for a $30 million grant program for local governments and nonprofits that would fund the distribution of crack pipes in an effort to make drug use safer for addicts, according to a single anonymous source cited by the Washington Free Beacon. Meanwhile, the Department of Justice said Friday it would be open to the idea of “safe injection sites” where addicts could use heroin and other drugs in locations that would have protections against overdoses, according to The Associated Press.

In a statement released Wednesday, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra denied that crack pipes would be included in safe smoking kits paid for by the grant program: “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. 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.”

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported a 134% increase in fentanyl seizures in fiscal year 2021. In September 2021, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration reported that there had been an increase in fentanyl-laced pills made by Mexican drug cartels using chemicals from China.

*Editor’s Note: This article has been updated for clarity and to include a statement from HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra.