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119th Congress

S. 331

HALT Fentanyl Act

  1. Introduced
  2. In committee
  3. Passed Senate
  4. Passed House
  5. To President
  6. Became law
Sponsor
Bill Cassidy(R-LA)
Introduced
Jan 30, 2025
Policy area
Crime and Law Enforcement
Committees
Senate Committee on the Judiciary
Official text
Engrossed in Senate · Congress.gov page

Cosponsors (31)

Original cosponsors (16)

Added later (15)

Summary

Summary by the Congressional Research Service· describes the “Public Law” version

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

Roll-call votes

DateVoteResultYour members
Jun 12, 2025
House #166		On Passage: HALT Fentanyl ActPassedSet your home to see
Mar 14, 2025
Senate #127		S. 331, as amendedBill PassedSet your home to see
Mar 13, 2025
Senate #124		Motion to Invoke Cloture: S. 331Cloture Motion Agreed toSet your home to see
Mar 6, 2025
Senate #110		Motion to Invoke Cloture: Motion to Proceed to S. 331Cloture on the Motion to Proceed Agreed toSet your home to see

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