U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today announced Tom Schrapps of Butte, Montana, will be his guest for President Biden’s State of the Union address. Schrapps, who lost his son Reilly to fentanyl poisoning in July 2022, will accompany Daines to the speech on February 7th and watch the address from guest seating in the balcony of the chamber of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Reilly Patrick Schrapps passed away in July 2022 after taking a pill that was laced with a deadly dose of fentanyl.
“It’s an honor to have Mr. Tom Schrapps join me for President Biden’s State of the Union. This summer, Tom endured the unimaginable—he lost his son to a fentanyl overdose. Fentanyl is the leading cause of death for young Americans and in Montana alone we have seen a 1,100 percent increase in fentanyl related deaths since 2017. There are far too many families like the Schrapps, not only in Montana but across the country, who are grieving the loss of a son, daughter, brother, or sister to this awful epidemic that is fueled by President Biden’s open southern border. It is heartbreaking, and it is unacceptable. I hope the President listens to folks like Mr. Schrapps and steps up to secure our southern border and stem this flow of deadly drugs,” Daines said.
“I am honored and excited to be Senator Daines’ guest for the State of the Union, and my goal is to represent my son Rilley, my hometown of Butte, and Montana. If I can save one person, one family from what we’ve gone through, it is worth it. We must educate folks about the deadly fentanyl crisis – there is no more time for Band-Aids on the problem, we must change the culture,” Mr. Schrapps said. “Why me? I’m just a Butte guy who is trying to help. I’m thankful for all that Senator Daines is doing to protect our children and our families from this deadly drug that is making its way to Montana from the southern border. I hope that the President will do something to stop drugs like fentanyl from taking more young lives like my son Reilly.”
Every member of Congress is allowed one guest to the President’s State of the Union address.
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Contact: Matt Lloyd,Rachel Dumke, Blake Kernen