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The main point: The House passed the HALT Fentanyl Act, sending it to Trump’s desk.
The details: The bill would permanently classify fentanyl analogues as Schedule I substances, which results in harsher sentences for possession of the drug. The substances have been temporarily classified as Schedule I since 2018.
The larger context: The bill’s quick passage in the early days of this Congress suggests that cracking down on the opioid crisis is seen as a political winner and top policy priority.
The reaction:
- The legislation is bipartisan, with dozens of Senate and House Democrats joining Republicans to vote for the bill. Proponents of the bill argue it would make it easier to stop drug traffickers by making the federal emergency rules permanent.
- However, many other Democrats have complained that the bill would lean too heavily on law enforcement and exacerbate a mass incarceration crisis, without addressing the root causes or otherwise stemming the fentanyl crisis. Opponents also warn it will make it harder to conduct research.
Read more: Fentanyl Bill Passes; House passes bill to to combat fentanyl trafficking, sending it to Trump’s desk
Published
June 2025