NE Washington News

On February 6, 2025, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 27, known as the HALT Fentanyl Act, with a vote of 312 to 108. The bill aims to address the ongoing fentanyl crisis by permanently classifying fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I drugs.

Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (GA-01), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Health, expressed their support for the legislation. "As Republicans work to fix the previous Administration’s border crisis and save lives from fentanyl poisoning, this legislation will serve as an important tool for law enforcement to fight against transnational crime organizations and drug smugglers," they stated. They also acknowledged Reps. Griffith and Latta for their leadership on this issue.

House Speaker Mike Johnson emphasized the importance of the bill in combating fentanyl's impact in America: "Today, the House took a critical step forward to combat the fentanyl crisis by passing the HALT Fentanyl Act... This bill permanently classifies fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I, giving law enforcement the tools needed to halt this epidemic."

Reps. Morgan Griffith (R-VA) and Bob Latta (R-OH), who led H.R. 27, highlighted its significance in addressing public safety concerns: "The ongoing fentanyl crisis has been fueled in part by a rise in lethal fentanyl-related substances... Accordingly, we urge swift passage of HALT Fentanyl in the Senate so we can complement President Trump’s actions to curb the flow of fentanyl into America."

The bill addresses loopholes that allow drug traffickers to modify chemical compositions slightly to create new analogs or related substances not covered under current laws. By making temporary scheduling authority permanent through H.R. 27, it ensures law enforcement has necessary tools while allowing research into these substances' health effects.