Des Moines Sun

The Halt All Lethal Trafficking of (HALT) Fentanyl Act has passed the House of Representatives with a 321-104 vote. The legislation now awaits President Trump's signature to become law. This bipartisan and bicameral effort is led by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Chairman Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-La.), and Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.). The act aims to permanently classify illicit fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I.

Senator Grassley expressed satisfaction with the passage of the bill, stating, "Today, Congress secured a major victory in the fight against fentanyl by sending the HALT Fentanyl Act to President Trump’s desk." He further commented on past challenges, saying, "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."

The HALT Fentanyl Act was introduced in January by Grassley, Cassidy, and Heinrich. It advanced through the Senate Judiciary Committee in February and passed the Senate in March. The bill has garnered support from over 40 major advocacy groups, including a coalition of over 200 impacted family groups and law enforcement organizations representing over a million officers.