WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) today announced the designation of Fayette County as a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA). Senator Capito wrote to the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) earlier this year to encourage the designation, and ONDCP Director Jim Carroll called her today ahead of the official announcement.
“This is great news for Fayette County and all of the efforts to fight the opioid epidemic there,” Senator Capito said. “A HIDTA designation means more resources to support local efforts and solutions that are already making a difference; and it will help local, state, and community leaders do even more to put an end to the drug crisis here in West Virginia. As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I’ve worked hard to secure funds like those provided through the HIDTA program, and I will continue working with Director Carroll, others in the administration, and those on the frontlines here at home to finally put an end to this epidemic that has hurt so many across our state.”
"The proven success of our HIDTA program is a direct result of the hard work of those on the frontlines of this fight, and the invaluable partnerships they’ve formed with law enforcement groups across the Nation. From day one, the Trump Administration has strongly supported the men and women dedicated to stopping deadly drugs from flowing into our communities, and we’re renewing that commitment once again today. By expanding our HIDTA program to these critical areas, we are providing more resources to help achieve our mission of keeping more of our family members, friends, and neighbors safe,” ONDCP Director Carroll said.
Fayette County is the 23rd county in West Virginia to be designated a HIDTA. The designation will enable the county to receive federal resources to further the coordination and development of drug control efforts among federal, state and local law enforcement officials. The designation will also make it possible for local agencies to benefit from ongoing HIDTA-coordinated initiatives that are working to reduce drug use and its consequences across the entire country.
When she served as chair of the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee, Senator Capito provided the largest increase and amount of funding ever for the HIDTA program, a level that continues to the present time.
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