Senate has overwhelmingly passed U.S Senator Chuck Grassley’s led Halt All Lethal Trafficking of (HALT) Fentanyl Act, which now heads to the House of Representatives. Grassley, along with Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Chairman Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-La) and Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M), introduced the bipartisan legislation in January, with the Senate passing it yesterday (Friday) on an 84-16 vote. Grassley says the HALT Fentanyl Act would remove the temporary Schedule I status for fentanyl-related substances, giving it the permanent classification.
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Grassley says the HALT Act will also impose legislation for sentencing and fines associated with crimes related to fentanyl.
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Grassley says the last part of the act will fund medical research to ensure that scheduled substances are still safe to use while under the care of a qualified physician.
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The HALT Fentanyl Act is supported by over 40 advocacy groups, along with a coalition of over 200 family groups impacted by fentanyl and law enforcement organizations. The Office of Management and Budget for President Trump has confirmed if Congress is to pass the bill in its current form, it will be signed into law.