
New legislation from Sen. Marco Rubio (R–Fla.) would make selling fentanyl used in a fatal overdose a federal crime punishable by the death penalty. Rubio's bill is backed by a dozen other Republican senators, including Marsha Blackburn (Tenn.), Tom Cotton (Ark.), Ted Cruz (Texas), Joni Ernst (Iowa), and Josh Hawley (Mo.).
The bill (S.4876) would define selling fentanyl that leads to a fatal overdose as a form of first-degree murder under federal law. A first-degree murder conviction means life in prison at minimum, and possibly the death penalty.