U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson 4th District of Louisiana | Facebook Website
U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson 4th District of Louisiana | Facebook Website
The House of Representatives has passed the HALT Fentanyl Act, a measure aimed at addressing the ongoing fentanyl crisis in the United States. The legislation, known as H.R. 27, seeks to permanently classify fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I drugs.
Speaker Johnson expressed support for the bill, stating, "Today, the House took a critical step forward to combat the fentanyl crisis by passing the HALT Fentanyl Act. For far too long, the Biden administration’s failure to secure our border allowed this deadly drug to pour into our country and kill more than 200 Americans a day." He added that this classification would provide law enforcement with necessary tools to address what he described as an epidemic.
Chairmen Guthrie and Carter from the House Committee on Energy and Commerce also voiced their approval: “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 acknowledged Reps. Griffith and Latta for their leadership on this issue.
Reps. Griffith (VA-09) and Latta (OH-05), who sponsored the bill, emphasized its importance: “The ongoing fentanyl crisis has been fueled in part by a rise in lethal fentanyl-related substances. We are pleased to see House passage of the HALT Fentanyl Act, which prioritizes the safety of American life and highlights our commitment to defeating the scourge of fentanyl.”
Currently, traffickers exploit legal loopholes by altering chemical compositions slightly to create new variants of fentanyl-related substances (FRS). Congress had previously granted temporary scheduling authority allowing these substances to be classified quickly under existing laws; however, this authority is set to expire in March 2025.
The HALT Fentanyl Act aims not only at making permanent such classifications but also ensuring that research can continue into understanding these substances' effects on health.
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