U.S. House of Representatives Passes HALT Fentanyl Act

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Halt All Lethal Trafficking (HALT) of Fentanyl Act (S. 331), which permanently places fentanyl-related substances into Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, helps law enforcement combat fentanyl trafficking, and advances scientific and medical research. Led by Congressmen Bob Latta (R-OH) and Morgan Griffith (R-VA) in the House, the bill passed with bipartisan support in the House 321-104.

“The HALT Fentanyl Act helps protect American communities by tackling deadly fentanyl-related substances and saving lives. We are grateful to our Republican colleagues, led by Speaker Johnson, Leader Scalise, Whip Emmer and Chairwoman McClain, for their critical support of our bill and its Senate companion. House Republicans will continue to advance policies that fight the opioid epidemic and make American communities safer,” said Congressmen Latta and Griffith. 

In 2018, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) temporarily classified all fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I drugs, and Congress has extended this designation multiple times. This bill aims to address the overdose crisis, largely driven by fentanyl. Senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) led the bill in the Senate, where it passed with a bipartisan vote of 84-16. With both House and Senate passage of the HALT Fentanyl Act, the legislation moves to President Donald Trump for his signature to permanently classify these substances.

“Today, Congress secured a major victory in the fight against fentanyl by sending the HALT Fentanyl Act to President Trump’s desk,” Senator Grassley shared. “Despite tens-of-thousands of Americans dying from fentanyl overdose each year, Democrats refused to pass this commonsense bill when they controlled Congress and the White House. I’m proud to see Republicans take real action to combat the fentanyl crisis, advance life-saving research and support our brave men and women in blue.”