EXCLUSIVE: State AGs Call On Senate To Take Up Fentanyl Crackdown Bill

Half of the country’s state attorneys general called on the Senate Wednesday to take up legislation to crack down on a loophole that allows drug cartels to bring fentanyl-related substances into the United States. The…

Adam PackFeb 13, 20253 min read

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Half of the country’s state attorneys general called on the Senate Wednesday to take up legislation to crack down on a loophole that allows drug cartels to bring fentanyl-related substances into the United States.

The 25 state attorneys general, led by Republican Attorneys General Brenna Bird of Iowa and Jason Miyares of Virginia, are urging Senate leadership to pass the Halt All Lethal Trafficking (HALT) of Fentanyl Act, which would classify all fentanyl-related substances as Schedule 1. Congress’ temporary classification of fentanyl-related substances as Schedule 1 drugs is set to expire in March, according to a letter sent by the attorneys general and obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation.

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The letter comes as the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed the Halt Fentanyl Act, sponsored by Republican Virginia Rep. Morgan Griffith, 312 to 108 on Thursday. Republican Sens. Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Democratic Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico have introduced a bipartisan Senate companion, but the upper chamber has not yet taken up the bill.

“Permanently scheduling fentanyl analogues as Schedule I drugs will allow the federal government to engage resources thus far underutilized in the fight against the fentanyl epidemic, putting drug cartels and traffickers on notice and saving American lives,” the attorneys general wrote. “We urge you to take up and pass the HALT Fentanyl Act as soon as possible.”

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“Permanent scheduling allows the criminal prosecution of anyone caught possessing, distributing, or manufacturing illicit variations of the drug— ‘a task previously burdensome for prosecutors’—without the uncertainty of whether the temporary authorization will expire during the prosecution,” the attorneys general added.

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Fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances kill Americans at a rate that rivals the Civil War and World War II, according to the letter. Drug overdoses took the lives of more than 100,000 Americans in 2023, and fentanyl was attributed to causing the majority of the deaths, the letter states.

“Fentanyl is a vicious killer that was only made worse by years of disastrous Biden-Harris open borders,” Bird told the DCNF. “To end the deadly fentanyl crisis, we must take immediate action. “Congress must act now to close dangerous loopholes and give law enforcement the tools they need to combat the trafficking of these lethal poisons,” Miyares also told the DCNF. “By permanently scheduling fentanyl analogues as Schedule I drugs, this bipartisan legislation will ensure traffickers are prosecuted swiftly, eliminate costly legal challenges, and allow federal resources to be directed toward prevention, education, and treatment.” Senate Majority Leader John Thune could take up the legislation in the coming weeks, but Senate Republicans’ immediate focus is confirming President Donald Trump’s cabinet nominees. Given the bipartisan support the HALT Fentanyl Act received in the House, the bill is likely to secure enough Democratic support to overcome the Senate’s 60-vote threshold. (Featured Image Media Credit: Joe Gratz via Flickr)

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