mattern secretary, we proudly give 72 of our delegate votes to the next president of the united states. [applause] the senate judiciary committee held a hearing on the growing use of synthetic drugs that mimic the effects of illegal narcotics. federal, state and local law enforcement officials testified about the views of synthetic drugs and the loopholes that allow them to be sold legally. charles grassley chairs the two-hour 15 minute hearing. >> i like to wait and start until there's members of the other political party here but they must be stuck in traffic and they said i can go ahead. wherever we are in the testimony when they arrive, i will let them give their opening statement right away. in many areas across this committee's jurisdiction, we hear time and again that technology is outpacing the law. in no other area is a result of this gap is deadly and tragic with the recent rise in production, marketing and sale of synthetic drugs to young people. traffickers created these drugs and laboratories so they produce the same or greater effects on a user with controlled substances.