H.R. 27 Passed the House Crime and Law Enforcement

HALT Fentanyl Act

To amend the Controlled Substances Act with respect to the scheduling of fentanyl-related substances, and for other purposes.

  1. Introduced
  2. Committee
  3. Passed House
  4. Passed Senate
  5. To President
  6. Became law
Sponsor Rep. Griffith, H. Morgan [R-VA-9] Introduced January 3, 2025 Cosponsors 61 (58 R, 2 D, 1 I) Latest action February 10, 2025

Summary

Halt All Lethal Trafficking of Fentanyl Act or the HALT Fentanyl Act
This bill 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 bill, 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 bill establishes a new, alternative registration process for certain schedule I research.
The bill 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 bill expresses the sense that Congress agrees with the interpretation of 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.

Summary by the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress.

Congress.gov

Roll-call votes

Actions

  1. Feb 10, 2025 Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
  2. Feb 6, 2025 Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  3. Feb 6, 2025 On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 312 - 108 (Roll no. 33). (text: CR H520-522)
  4. Feb 6, 2025 Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 312 - 108 (Roll no. 33). (text: CR H520-522)
  5. Feb 6, 2025 Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H533-535)
  6. Feb 6, 2025 POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Trahan amendment No. 2, the Chair put the question on agreeing to the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the noes prevailed. Mrs. Trahan demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further proceeding until a time to be announced.
  7. Feb 6, 2025 DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 93, the House proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Trahan amendment No. 2.
  8. Feb 6, 2025 DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 27.
  9. Feb 6, 2025 Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 27 with 1 hour of general debate. Motion to recommit allowed. The resolution makes in order only the further amendment printed in Part B of the Rules Committee report.
  10. Feb 6, 2025 Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 93. (consideration: CR H520-533)
  11. Feb 5, 2025 Rule H. Res. 93 passed House.
  12. Feb 4, 2025 Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 93 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 27 with 1 hour of general debate. Motion to recommit allowed. The resolution makes in order only the further amendment printed in Part B of the Rules Committee report.

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