HALT Fentanyl Act

Question at stake

Plain-language summary

Halt All Lethal Trafficking of Fentanyl Act or the HALT Fentanyl Act This act permanently places fentanyl-related substances as a class into schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. A schedule I controlled substance is a drug, substance, or chemical that has a high potential for abuse; has no currently accepted medical value; and is subject to regulatory controls and administrative, civil, and criminal penalties under the Controlled Substances Act. Under the act, offenses involving fentanyl-related substances are triggered by the same quantity thresholds and subject to the same penalties as offenses involving fentanyl analogues (e.g., offenses involving 100 grams or more trigger a 10-year mandatory minimum prison term). Additionally, the act establishes a new, alternative registration process for certain schedule I research. The act also makes several other changes to registration requirements for conducting research with controlled substances, including permitting a single registration for related research sites in certain circumstances, waiving the requirement for a new inspection in certain situations, and allowing a registered researcher to perform certain manufacturing activities with small quantities of a substance without obtaining a manufacturing registration. Finally, the act expresses the sense that Congress agrees with the interpretation of the Controlled Substances Act in United States v. McCray , a 2018 case decided by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York. In that case, the court held that butyryl fentanyl, a controlled substance, can be considered an analogue of fentanyl even though, under the Controlled Substances Act, the term controlled substance analogue specifically excludes a controlled substance.

Source: Congress.gov

Why it matters

In committee

Votes

• On PassageJun 12, 2025Passed . 321 to 104
• On Passage of the BillMar 14, 2025Bill Passed . 84 to 16
• On the Cloture MotionMar 13, 2025Cloture Motion Agreed to . 84 to 15
• On Cloture on the Motion to ProceedMar 6, 2025Cloture on the Motion to Proceed Agreed to . 82 to 12

Source: Roll-call records, Congress.gov

Sponsors

• Bill CassidyR. LA

Key cosponsors

• Chuck GrassleyR. IA
• Roger MarshallR. KS
• Todd YoungR. IN
• Steve DainesR. MT
• Martin HeinrichD. NM

Source: Congress.gov

Sources

• Bill text and statusCongress.gov
• Roll-call votesCongress.gov