Ranking Member Cassidy Releases Statement on Senate Democrats Blocking His Bill to Combat Illegal Fentanyl
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released a statement following Senate Democrats objecting to passage of his Halt Lethal Trafficking (HALT) Fentanyl Act. This legislation makes permanent the temporary classification of fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). This temporary scheduling is set to expire at the end of 2024. Last year, the U.S. House of Representatives passed this legislation by a bipartisan vote of 289 to 133.
“This classification provides law enforcement vital tools to go after criminals flooding communities with deadly drugs,” said Dr. Cassidy. “Allowing Schedule I status to expire handicaps frontline law enforcement, emboldening those exploiting our communities with fentanyl. It is disappointing that Senate Democrats chose to block this important legislation.”
Earlier today, Cassidy spoke on the Senate floor urging his colleagues to support this legislation. He also highlighted National Police Week and the importance of providing law enforcement with the tools necessary to combat the fentanyl crisis. The HALT Fentanyl Act is supported by multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Association of State Criminal Investigative Agencies (ASCIA), the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA), the Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA), the Major County Sheriffs of America (MCSA), the National Alliance of State Drug Enforcement Agencies (NASDEA), the National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO), the National District Attorneys Association (NDAA), the National HIDTA Directors Association (NHDA), the National Narcotic Officers’ Associations’ Coalition (NNOAC), the National Sheriffs’ Association (NSA), and the Sergeants Benevolent Association NYPD.
Background
Drug overdoses, largely driven by fentanyl, are the leading cause of death among young adults 18 to 45 years old. Synthetic opioids like fentanyl account for 75 percent of the total U.S. overdose deaths and the Schedule I classification for fentanyl-related substances is set to expire after 2024.
The legislation also removes barriers that impede the ability of researchers to conduct studies on fentanyl-related substances and allows for exemptions if such research provides evidence that it would be beneficial for specific substances to be classified differently than Schedule I, such as for medical purposes.
From August 2021 to August 2022, a record-breaking 107,735 Americans lost their lives to drug overdoses. The surge was primarily fueled by synthetic opioids, including illegal fentanyl, which are largely manufactured in Mexico from raw materials supplied by China. In 2022, there were over 50.6 million fentanyl-laced fake prescription pills seized by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), more than doubling the amount seized in 2021.
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