Sen. Grassley Celebrates Likely Passage of HALT Fentanyl Act

HALT Fentanyl Act Passage

• 🎯 The HALT Fentanyl Act is poised for passage in the Senate and will soon go to President Trump for enactment.
• 💡 This bill permanently schedules deadly fentanyl substances, addressing a critical driver of overdose deaths in the U.S.
• ⚖️ It eliminates the need for the DEA to constantly chase new fentanyl knockoffs, which previously became legal by minor chemical changes.
• ⏳ Congress will no longer rely on temporary extensions to keep fentanyl and its analogs scheduled.

Research and Law Enforcement Support

• 🔬 The act revises policies for researching Schedule I substances, a change welcomed by the research community.
• 🚨 The DEA has identified fentanyl and its knockoffs as the deadliest drug threat the U.S. has ever faced.
• 🤝 The bipartisan HALT Fentanyl Act has garnered support from nearly every major law enforcement organization, medical associations, and research associations.

Legislative Journey and Acknowledgements

• 🗓️ Senator Grassley has been raising alarms about synthetic drugs like fentanyl since 2016, with this permanent scheduling taking nine years.
• 🙏 Credit is given to Senators Cassidy, Hinrich, and Johnson for their pivotal role, as well as Republican leadership for prioritizing the bill.
• 🏛️ House colleagues Representative Griffith, Chairman Guthrie, and former Chairwoman McMorris Rodgers are acknowledged for championing the bill in the House.
• 🧑‍🔬 Dr. Tim Wesle is thanked for his foundational work on the temporary scheduling structure used since 2018.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The efforts of countless families who have lost loved ones to fentanyl poisoning and advocated for this legislation are recognized.
• 🌟 Senate staff, particularly Colleen Bloss and Michael Perkins, are thanked for their instrumental work in advancing the bill.