LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — On Thursday, Arkansas Senators John Boozman (R-AR) and Tom Cotton (R-AR) have joined Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) with the introduction of the "Cutting off Rampant Access to Crack Kits (CRACK) Act."
The bill would bring changes to the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, creating the prohibition of any funds from directly/indirectly purchasing, supplying, or distributing crack pipes and other drug paraphernalia.
Although several representatives for the federal government stated that crack pipes were not going to be a part of "safe smoking kits," Sen. Boozman called the plan "absurd" and "out-of-touch and unbelievably reckless."
“This legislation makes certain taxpayers won’t be on the hook for illicit drug paraphernalia,” Boozman said of the proposed bill.
Sen. Cotton claimed the Biden administration is in "cleanup mode because they got caught funding crack pipe distribution."
Boozman's office claimed the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) "appeared to confirm" part of a $30 million grant program would go toward "smoking kits/supplies," citing a report from The Washington Free Beacon.
According to the conservative outlet, an anonymous spokesperson said the kits will provide pipes.
But in a statement, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said that "no federal funding will be used directly or through subsequent reimbursement of grantees to put pipes in safe smoking kits."
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said on Wednesday that reporting about crack pipes being put into safe smoking kits is “inaccurate.”
On Wednesday, Psaki said the safe smoking kits may include alcohol swabs, lip balm and other materials to “promote hygiene and reduce the transmission of diseases,” such as HIV and hepatitis.
“They were never a part of the kit. It was inaccurate reporting, and we wanted to put out information to make that clear,” she said.
The CRACK Act is also supported by Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA), Tim Scott (R-SC), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Mike Braun (R-IN), Rick Scott (R-FL), Steve Daines (R-MT), Thom Tillis (R-NC), John Kennedy (R-LA), John Thune (R-SD) and John Barrasso (R-WY).